West Side Story
After twelvemonth of have it sleep together that he would love to tackle aWest Side Storyremake , managing director Steven Spielberg is last making it occur . West Side Storywas a musical adaptation on one of William Shakespeare ’s most popular plays , Romeo & Juliet . The melodic made its Broadway launching in 1957 with a score from celebrated composer Leonard Bernstein , but it was n’t until a few years later that the story truly started to shine .
In 1961 , the musical was adapt into a feature - length film star Natalie Wood , Richard Beymer , Rita Moreno , George Chakiris , and Russ Tamblyn . TheWest Side Storymovie was a keen success , go on to take in 10 Academy Award nominations at the 1962 Oscars . Both the melodious and the movie are responsible for introduce us to the world of rival gangs the Jets and the Sharks and the teenage lover at the spirit of the fight , Tony and Maria .
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Filming on Spielberg’sWest Side Storygot underway in June 2019 , with a first - look photo of Tony , Maria , the Jets , and the Sharks released to commemorate the occasion . With new details about the film dwindle away for a few months , let ’s take a look at all of the details which have been confirm , including the dismission day of the month , cast , and expected dawdler .
West Side Story Release Date
West Side Storyreleases on December 18 , 2020 . This is a premier spot for a film of this caliber , arriving smacking - dab at the peak of the vacation movie season , ensure families will make time to see it in addition to longtime fan and funny newcomers to the world ofWest Side Story .
December has been proven to be a successful calendar month for pic musical comedy , not only when it comes to crush it at the box office but also for garnering honor time of year attending . In the last decennary alone , this has been the favored calendar month if a studio has a big budget melodious on its hand . If you ’re not convinced it ’s deserving reminding you of retiring December film musical triumphs , likeThe great Showman(2017),La La Land(2016),Into the Woods(2014 ) , andLes Miserables(2012 ) .
West Side Story Director
As previously cite , Steven Spielberg will be directingWest Side Story . This will be Spielberg ’s first time directing a musical theater for the swelled CRT screen - well , really it ’s his first time doing it , full plosive . He ’s show interest for years indirecting a newWest Side Story . So , just because Spielberg is going into unfamiliar territory for the first sentence in years , we should by no means assume he ’s out of his depth .
Even a passing conversancy with Spielberg ’s work as a theatre director proves he ’s a director who is more than experienced at handling film that are sweeping in scope , with large cast and inventive stories at their heart and soul . West Side Storyis Spielberg ’s follow - up to another similarly big , lush , epical , nostalgia - driven film , 2018’sReady Player One . This is the director who help wreak theIndiana Jonesfilm dealership to life , as well asJaws , Hook , Jurassic Park , and more . Spielberg know how to make an adventure come to life on screen and he knows how to infuse very existent , tangible human emotion into a film as well . If anything , West Side Storycould become another plume in Spielberg ’s cap , proof he ’s a managing director equipped to add any story in any genre into its full glorification .
West Side Story Cast
West Side Storyfeatures a talented plaster cast hail from a sort of corners in the entertainment human race . Open casting Call were reportedas ahead of time as spring 2018 , with a centering on casting for the cardinal characters of Tony , Maria , Anita , Bernardo , and Riff . In October 2018 , the first confirmedcast member wasBaby Driverstar Ansel Elgort , who secured the male lead role of Tony . By January 2019 , it was confirmed then-17 - year - oldRachel Zegler had landed the distaff spark advance roleof Maria . This will be Zegler ’s characteristic film debut , although she has been performing in musical comedy for most of her life history , making her a worthful , fresh typeface in the cast .
Shortly after , the supporting cast was filled out . In March , House of Cardsalum and seasoned Broadway actorCorey Stoll was confirmed for Lieutenant SchrankandSpotlightactor and fellow Broadway vet , Brian d’Arcy James , was confirmed to play Officer Krupke . The persona of Anita , Bernardo , and Riff , respectively , went to theatre actors Ariana DeBose , David Alvarez , and Mike Faist . Arguably the best cast tidings came in shortly after Elgort signing on . In November 2018 , it was announced Rita Moreno , who deliver the goods the Best put up Actress Oscar for playing Anita in the 1961 film , would return for the newWest Side Story . Moreno ’s role of Valentina will reportedly be original but base off of a character from the musical , Doc , the owner of the store where Tony works .
West Side Story Plot
An update on William Shakespeare’sRomeo & Juliet , West Side Storyfollows hotshot - crossed lover Tony and Maria . The teenagers descend from unlike communities living on the Upper West Side in New York in the fifties . Tony is a untested white man who used to be a member of a gang know as the Jets . Although he ’s go out the mob , he is still close friends with the Jets leader , Riff . Maria know in the Puerto Rican section of the Upper West Side and is the sister of Bernardo , the drawing card of a gang recognise as the Sharks . The Jets and the Sharks ? They ’re not friend and it ’s their rivalry which peril Tony and Maria ’s human relationship .
West Side Story Soundtrack
This is a musical , after all , so what are the plans forWest Side Story ’s music ? The original Leonard Bernstein score will rest intact , which means Song like " Gee Officer Krupke " , " In America " , and " I Feel Pretty " will perfectly be performed . The film ’s musical score will be wield by Gustavo Dudamel , the euphony film director of the L.A. Philharmonic . There ’s no Son on whether any new songs will be drop a line specifically for this Modern interpretation of the music .
Also unknown is if any unconventional approaches to film the melodious performances will be take . Will it go the way of Tom Hooper’sLes Miserablesand have all of the cast members performing live with musical backing added in ? Or will there be a more traditional social system ( immortalize it in a studio apartment , lip - sync to it while motion-picture photography , add in the track in post ) ? There ’s been no specific mention of how this will be handled , so it ’s dependable to get into that Spielberg and Co. will be opt for the former rather than the latter . Hopefully more news - or even a trailer - of the music will be expel outside of a tormenter or full - length drone in the coming months so prospective interview live what they ’re in for .
West Side Story Trailer
AWest Side Storytrailer has not been released yet . Since the picture show melodic is due for exit during the peak of holiday movie time of year in 2020 , a full - duration preview will likely not be expel until saltation or early summer 2020 . However , this is a unique film in that it ’s being helmed by Spielberg , and it ’s another adaptation of a beloved musical which holds a limited office in musical history . Given this , it would n’t be out of the question to expect a first - look teaser to come in late November or December 2019 as a way of building up inflammation one yr out from its mean release .
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