Ryan Murphy Reveals He Has the Rights to Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart & The Destiny of Me

As previously reported, playwright, author, outspoken AIDS activist and Oscar-nominated screenwriter Larry Kramer died on May 27. In a heartfelt tribute, Ryan Murphy, who directed the Emmy-winning HBO film adaptation of Kramer's The Normal Heart, shared some good news. "I recently bought the stage rights to do The Normal Heart and The Destiny of Me in rep on Broadway," Murphy wrote.

 

 

 

 

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I first met Larry Kramer in 2012. The film rights to his groundbreaking play "The Normal Heart" had become available, and I wanted them. We had a wonderful first meeting, he was kind and excited about my casting ideas -- Mark Ruffalo and Julia Roberts (who would both go on to do the HBO film with us). From there we got into negotiations, and he said he wanted one million dollars for the rights. "Larry!" I said, "that's a lot of money for a low budget film!" He paused and said "it's what I'm worth." I paid it. And I'm so glad I did. Larry knew the value of his work, his life, all gay people's lives -- and his fundamental stubborn belief in equality for all made him perhaps the single greatest and most important gay activist of all time. His fight against government, discrimination, prejudice and big Pharma helped save millions of lives. His fight changed the health care system as we know it. I admired him above all others. He deserved the Medal of Freedom. I loved working with him, his passion. I eventually even came to love our fights. I won a Golden Globe one year, and the first call I got the next morning was from Larry. "I'm glad you won, but I hated seeing you there," he sniffed. "Larry, you should be happy for me!" I said. "Well, I'm not," he replied. "Because you should have been at home working on our project." He was terrified after 30 years of development hell it wouldn't be made, that his tale of AIDS and rage and beauty would never be seen widely by young people. But we got it made. He cried when he saw the first cut. "All my friends, all my generation, gone...and it's fucking unfair it didn't need to happen" he said. Up until the end, we were still plotting. I recently bought the stage rights to do "The Normal Heart" and "The Destiny of Me" in rep on Broadway. He was so passionate and so vital I never imagined he would pass. I thought he'd outlive us all. His work and his spirit will. In his memory, watch "The Normal Heart" on HBO today. Or better yet, send an outraged email or tweet to a neglectful politician of your choice. He would have liked that.

A post shared by Ryan Murphy (@mrrpmurphy) on May 27, 2020 at 10:52am PDT

The Normal Heart and The Destiny of Me are Kramer's semi-autobiographical plays set during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis in New York City. The Normal Heart premiered off-Broadway in 1985 at the Public Theater.  The Normal Heart's first-ever Broadway mounting in 2011 won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. The Destiny of Me, its sequel, premiered off-Broadway at the Circle Repertory Company in 1992 and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

It's no secret that Murphy is a champion of Broadway. As previously reported, he shared that The Prom film may still arrive on Netflix this year. Murphy has also previously announced plans to turn the iconic 1975 Broadway musical A Chorus Line, which was previously adapted into a 1985 film, into a 10-part miniseries. His hit television shows, including Hollywood, Pose, American Horror Story, The Politician, Glee and more, feature many stage talents. Murphy garnered a 2019 Tony Award for producing last year's Best Play Revival winner The Boys in the Band, starring Matt Bomer, Robin de Jesús, Brian Hutchison, Jim Parsons, Andrew Rannells, Zachary Quinto, Michael Benjamin Washington, Tuc Watkins and Charlie Carver. He also was a producer of the 2016 revival of Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey Into Night.

Broadway may still be shut down, but Murphy is looking to the future for these groundbreaking works.