It’s been a long time coming, but Steven Spielberg’s anticipated musical West Side Story is coming this December. The film, based on the iconic musical from Leonard Bernstein and Steven Sondheim, follows a pair of star-crossed lovers in the midst of gang warfare in 1957 New York City. Playing the lovebirds from opposite sides of the track are Ansel Elgort as Tony and newcomer Rachel Zegler as Maria.
Originally set to open last December, West Side Story was victim of the COVID-19 pandemic like so many others. It arrives now, arguably in a better position than it would have been. There is no clear Oscar-contending frontrunner, so far, and West Side Story could be poised to match the 10 victories of the 1961 classic film adaptation.
Penned by Tony Kushner, the film also stars 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 who starred in the original. Here she plays Tony’s boss at the store where he works.
West Side Story opens in theaters on December 10th.