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The trailer for the film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, Dear Evan Hansen, has been released by Universal Pictures.

Revisiting the role of Evan Hansen is American actor-singer and songwriter Ben Platt, who portrayed the character on stage from 2015 to 2017.

Dear Evan Hansen tells the story of an anxious and awkward high school student who pens letters for himself.

Evan's classmate Connor Murphy gets a hold of one of his letters and commits suicide with the note in his pocket. This leads Connor's parents to believe that the suicide note was addressed to Evan.

The event throws Evan into a web of lies as he pretends to have been friends with Connor and tries to develop a relationship with the Murphy family.

The musical featured the music and lyrics of songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

It was said that the story was inspired by an incident that happened during Pasek's high school years.

The film's director Stephen Chbosky told Vanity Fair that Platt was his only choice to play the lead role, given his history with the character.

“His understanding of the character is so complete and so profound,” said Chbosky.

"I couldn't imagine anybody else playing it. It's his part. I felt very strongly about it. And to me it was never even a consideration."

While his knowledge and familiarity with the role is no question, Platt's challenge was how to look the part of an awkward teenager at his age.

“I'd lost about 15 pounds and did a very specific diet, grew my hair out, and was shaving to make sure that I didn't look like I had five o'clock shadow all the time, you know,” Platt told Vanity Fair.

“I was just stripping myself into being a teenager for the last time. For what is hopefully the last time.”

Platt admitted feeling hesitant at first to reprise the role that means a lot to him as an artist.

“The legacy of the stage performance has really changed my life, and to jeopardize that legacy in any way is a very scary thing.

“But I think in the back of my mind, I always felt [that] I'm going to want to show this to my children one day, and I'm going to want this immortalized.”

Dear Evan Hansen is scheduled to hit cinemas in September this year.

Watch the trailer below:

This is Ben's first leading role in a major film. Aside from his theater background he is known for his role as Benji in the hit musical comedy film, Pitch Perfect.

Meanwhile, actors crossing from theater to film and TV is not new. See some of the theater actors in the Philippines who also work in film and television in the gallery below.