The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes Is A Big Reminder To Watch This $76 Million Box Office Bomb
Rachel Zegler is a marvel as Lucy Gray in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, and she exhibits this same raw talent in a previous box office bomb.
West Side Story (2021)
Based on the 1957 Broadway musical, Steven Spielberg's West Side Story is the second feature-length film to adapt the musical for the big screen. Starring Rachel Zegler and Ansel Elgort, the film tells the story of the forbidden love between a young couple on opposite sides of a conflict between two rival gangs in 1950s New York City.
West Side Story
- Director
- Steven Spielberg
- Release Date
- December 10, 2021
- Studio(s)
- 20th Century
- Distributor(s)
- 20th Century
- Cast
- Mike Iveson , Ansel Elgort , Ariana DeBose , Yassmin Alers , Iris Menas , Rachel Zegler , Annelise Cepero , Corey Stoll , Josh Andrés , Josh Andrés Rivera , Rita Moreno , Jamila Velazquez , Brian D'Arcy James , David Alvarez , Rory Curtiss Cook , Jamie Harris
- Writers
- Tony Kushner
- Runtime
- 156 minutes
- Budget
- $100 million
Summary
Two youngsters from rival New York City gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy. This is a remake of the 1961 musical classic, which won 10 Oscars. This has been a passion project of Steven Spielberg's for years and started to gain traction in 2018 when he put out a casting call for the roles. Principal photography is expected to begin in summer 2019. Directed by Academy Award® winner Steven Spielberg, from a screenplay by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award® winner Tony Kushner, “West Side Story” tells the classic tale of fierce rivalries and young love in 1957 New York City. This reimagining of the beloved musical stars Ansel Elgort (Tony); Rachel Zegler (María); Ariana DeBose (Anita); David Alvarez (Bernardo); Mike Faist (Riff); Josh Andrés Rivera (Chino); Ana Isabelle (Rosalía); Corey Stoll (Lieutenant Schrank); Brian d’Arcy James (Officer Krupke); and Rita Moreno (as Valentina, who owns the corner store in which Tony works). Moreno – one of only three artists to be honored with Academy®, Emmy®, GRAMMY®, Tony® and Peabody Awards – also serves as one of the film’s executive producers. Bringing together the best of both Broadway and Hollywood, the film’s creative team includes Kushner, who also serves as an executive producer; Tony Award® winner Justin Peck, who choreographed the musical numbers in the film; renowned Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor and GRAMMY Award® winner Gustavo Dudamel, who helmed the recording of the iconic score; Academy Award®-nominated composer and conductor David Newman (“Anastasia”), who arranged the score; Tony Award®-winning composer Jeanine Tesori (“Fun Home,” “Thoroughly Modern Millie”), who supervised the cast on vocals; and Grammy®-nominated music supervisor Matt Sullivan (“Beauty and the Beast,” “Chicago”), who served as executive music producer for the film. The film is produced by Spielberg, Academy Award®-nominated producer Kristie Macosko Krieger and Tony Award®-winning producer Kevin McCollum. “West Side Story” has been adapted for the screen from the original 1957 Broadway show, with book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and concept, direction and choreography by Jerome Robbins.
latest
10 Songs From Musicals That Are Unexpectedly Difficult To Sing, According To Reddit
There are many songs from musicals that everyone knows are virtually impossible to pull off. But some songs are surprisingly difficult.
10 Darkest Musical Movies
From Sweeney Todd to Phantom of the Paradise to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, not every musical is as lighthearted as Cats; some are dark and grisly.
West Side Story: Anybodys' Trans Identity Improves Upon The Original
The 2021 remake of West Side Story features trans character Anybodys, whose new identity adds both meaning and nuance to the original character.
Best LGBTQ+ Movies On Disney+ Right Now
Disney has had a rough relationship with LGBTQ+ representation over the years. But here's a guide to Disney+'s best LGBTQ+ movies available right now.
10 Alternatives To Famous Musicals
It's easy for musical fans to turn to the most popular and long-running favorites, but there are alternatives to check out with similar themes.
West Side Story & Snow White Star On Pressure Of Iconic Movie Roles
Rachel Zegler, star of West Side Story and the live-action Snow White remake, details the pressure she felt when taking on these iconic roles.
10 Movie Musicals With The Best Costume Designs
These movie musicals showcase the true beauty of the costuming within the genre, and these films truly look the best in costume design.
Marvel and DC's Strangest Crossover Was A West Side Story Ripoff
Not Brand Echh, a parody comic published by Marvel in the 1960s, presented an Avengers and Justice League version of the hit musical West Side Story.
Tony Replaced By A Velociraptor In West Side Story Parody Video
A cleverly edited video combines Steven Spielberg's West Side Story with another one of his movies - Jurassic Park - by turning Tony into a raptor.
Pedro Pascal Shares His Emotional Reaction To West Side Story Reboot
Pedro Pascal and West Side Story's Rachel Zegler have a sweet exchange online as the Mandalorian actor reveals his emotional reaction to the musical.
The 1 Thing That Saved The Oscars 2022 From Total Disaster
The 2022 Oscars ceremony mostly garnered attention for the wrong reasons, but in the midst of all the chaos, there was a giant victory to celebrate.
West Side Story's Rachel Zegler Not Invited To Oscars Despite Leading Movie
Despite being the star of one of this year's Best Picture nominees, West Side Story's Rachel Zegler says she was not invited to attend the Oscars.
Steven Spielberg Won't Direct Another Musical After West Side Story
Steven Spielberg speaks at the Producers Guild Awards breakfast and reveals that he has no plans to direct another musical after West Side Story.
Oscars 2022: Ranking The Cinematography Nominees, By IMDb
There are five great movies nominated for the Best Cinematography Academy Award at the 2022 Oscars, but how do they rank according to IMDb ratings?
Spielberg Discusses West Side Story's Diversity in Video Clip [EXCLUSIVE]
Steven Spielberg discusses the diversity in West Side Story in this exclusive video clip from the film's home entertainment release.
Rachel Zegler Reacts to West Side Story's BAFTA Awards 2022 Wins
Rachel Zegler expresses her congratulatory support to the winners of West Side Story at the BAFTA Awards, including her co-star Ariana DeBose.
West Side Story: One Spielberg Jets Change Made Riff Much Worse
One small detail may have made Riff a redeemable character in the 1961 version of West Side Story, but Spielberg's 2021 version omits it entirely.
West Side Story's Disney+ Release Reverses A Recent Movie Trend
The streaming release of West Side Story on Disney+ might not entirely be beneficial for the audience, despite an observed pattern in recent movies.
West Side Story Star Recalls Special Moment Meeting Denzel Washington
West Side Story star Ariana DeBose shares a special moment she had with Denzel Washington at the Oscars Luncheon, noting that he came up to her.
Why Rita Moreno Almost Rejected Playing Anita In 1961's West Side Story
Rita Moreno made history for her portrayal of Anita in West Side Story (1961), but the actress nearly turned down the role due to insulting lyrics.