Lin-Manuel Miranda’s popularity now extends into a galaxy far, far away: The author and star of the Broadway smash “Hamilton” co-wrote the music for a cantina scene in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” in theaters Dec. 18, with director J.J. Abrams.
Now, we all know that the original cantina music, from the 1977 “Star Wars,” was a supremely dorky sci-fi take on big-band jazz — and there were no lyrics.
It’s a safe bet that Miranda’s take will be wordier, but what will his version of the ultimate space dive sound like?
“Hamilton” is usually described as a hip-hop musical but its score is actually pretty varied, also incorporating Destiny’s Child-type R&B and 1960s-flavored pop.
Miranda’s previous show, “In the Heights,” brought in Latin rhythms. His early “Sesame Street” and “Electric Company” experience could be useful when it comes to addressing obsessive, single-minded audiences. Though maybe he could have continued in the rah-rah vein of the buoyant cheerleading musical “Bring It On,” for which he wrote several songs — gotta rally the resistance against the Dark Side after all.