West Side Story 2021 Movie Review, Trailer, Filming, Cast and Release Date

Posted on Sep 30, 2020

West Side Story is an American musical film directed by Steven Spielberg, set for release in 2021. It is a new adaptation of the music West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents, created in 1957 and itself based on Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.

The music had already been adapted for cinema in 1961byJerome Robbins and Robert Wise; this new version is intended to be closer to the original work.

Movie Storyline

The theme of the movie is taken from the Upper West Side, the 1950s. Two groups of young people clash: on the one hand the Sharks - led by Bernardo - and on the other the Jets, with the Riff at their head. Tony, linked to the Jets, is going to fall in love with Maria, Bernardo's sister.

Wiki / Info
Original title	West Side Story
Director	Steven Spielberg
Screenplay	Tony Kushner, based on the musical West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) and Arthur Laurents (libretto)
Artistic direction	Deborah Jensen
Sets	Adam Stockhausen
Costumes	Paul Tazewell
Photography	Janusz Kamiński
Editing	Michael Kahn
Music	Leonard Bernstein and David Newman
Production	Kristie Macosko Krieger, Kevin McCollum and Steven Spielberg; Rita Moreno (executive producer)
Production companies	20th Century Studios and Amblin Entertainment
Distribution companies	Walt Disney Studios Distribution
Budget	$ 100,000,000 (100 million)
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Format	Color
Genre	Musical, Romance
Release date	United States - December 10, 2021

West Side Story Cast

Actor	Role as
Ansel Elgort	Tony
Rachel Zegler	Maria
Rita Moreno	Valentina
Ariana DeBose	Anita
David Alvarez	Bernardo
Corey Stoll	Lieutenant Schrank
Brian d'Arcy James	Sergeant Krupke
Mike Faist	Riff
Curtiss Cook	Abe
Ben Cook	Mouthpiece
Ana Isabelle	Rosalia

West Side Story Movie Trailer

Production

Development and Choice of Actors

Steven Spielberg first expresses his wish to re-adapt West Side Story inMarch 2014. He asks 20th Century Fox to acquire the rights. Tony Kushner, who previously collaborated with the director for Munich (2005) and Lincoln (2012), reveals in July 2017that he will write the script for the film, specifying that he will keep the musical scenes and that the plot will be closer to the original musical rather than the 1961 film.

Pre-Production

In January 2018, it was announced that film will be directed by Steven Spielberg after the fifth film in the Indiana Jones franchise. However, this project was postponed. The director then begins the pre-production of West Side Story.

Justin Peck is hired as a choreographer in September 2018, while Ansel Elgort is cast for the lead male role, Tony. In November 2018, Eiza González is announced for the role of Anita. Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the 1961 film, joins the cast as Valentina, a reworked version of the Doc.

In January 2019, the unknown Rachel Zegler was formalized in the role of Maria, while Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez and Josh Andrés Rivera are confirmed in the respective roles of Anita, Bernardo and Chino. In March 2019, Corey Stoll and Brian d'Arcy James joined the cast.

Filming

The shooting begins June 17, 2019, in New York and northern New Jersey until September 27 Steven Spielberg posts a letter announcing the end of filming.

Music

David Newman was hired for the soundtrack of the film, including arranging the music for Leonard Bernstein for the 1961 film. Gustavo Dudamel, of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, was then hired to lead the recording sessions, while Jeanine Tesori is the vocal coach.

West Side Story Release Date

The output of West Side Story was originally scheduled for December 18, 2020, in the USA. However, in September 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the date is postponed to December 10, 2021, by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.