Directed by Peter H. Hunt, the film adaptation features Daniels, recreating his Broadway role as John Adams, plus Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson, Howie Da Silva as Ben Franklin, Blythe Danner as Martha Jefferson, John Cullum as Edward Rutledge and Tony winner Ron Holgate as Richard Henry Lee. The Blu-ray release will include a Director's Cut of the film, according to a release, which will include deleted scenes, alternate versions of some scenes, and lines from the Broadway script that were dropped from the film, plus the song "Cool, Cool, Considerate Men," which was also cut from the original release.

Like the musical, the film tells the story of the political and personal battles among the Founding Fathers in the final weeks leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Several of the characters, notably Thomas Jefferson, also appear in the current Off-Broadway hit, Hamilton.

The original Broadway show has a book by Peter Stone and a score by Sherman Edwards — his only complete Broadway score. The show won four Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and ran 1,217 performances.