West Side Story

Movie Details:

Based on	West Side Story by Jerome Robbins Leonard Bernstein Stephen Sondheim Arthur Laurents
Country	United States
Language	English Spanish
Genres	Crime, Drama, Musical, Romance
Release date	November 29, 2021 (Jazz at Lincoln Center) December 10, 2021 (United States)
Running time	2hr 36min
Age rating	PG-13
Starring	Ansel Elgort Rachel Zegler Ariana DeBose David Alvarez Mike Faist Rita Moreno
Directed by	Steven Spielberg
Screenplay by	Tony Kushner
Produced by	Steven Spielberg Kristie Macosko Krieger Kevin McCollum
Cinematography by	Janusz Kamiński
Edited by	Michael Kahn Sarah Broshar
Music by	Leonard Bernstein
Production Company	Amblin Entertainment TSG Entertainment
Distributor	20th Century Studios

Cast & Characters:

• Ansel Elgort as Tony
• Rachel Zegler as María
• Ariana DeBose as Anita
• David Alvarez as Bernardo
• Mike Faist as Riff
• Rita Moreno as Valentina
• Brian d’Arcy James as Sergeant Krupke
• Corey Stoll as Lieutenant Schrank
• Josh Andrés Rivera as Chino
• iris menas[b] as Anybodys
• Ana Isabelle as Rosalía
• Andréa Burns as Fausta
• Jamila Velazquez as Meche
• Yassmin Alers as Lluvia
• Jamie Harris as Rory
• Curtiss Cook as Abe
• Paloma Garcia-Lee as Graziella
• Kyle Coffman as Ice
• Sean Harrison Jones as Action
• Patrick Higgins as Baby John
• Ben Cook as Mouthpiece
• Kyle Allen as Balkan
• Myles Erlick as Snowboy
• Talia Ryder as Tessa
• Maddie Ziegler as Velma
• Kevin Csolak as Diesel

Storyline:

Manhattan, Upper West Side, 1957. Against the backdrop of the decaying tenements in the San Juan Hill neighborhood and the constant threat of the wrecking ball, two warring gangs–tough Riff’s Jets and swaggering Bernardo’s Puerto Rican Sharks–fight for supremacy. Now, with a once-and-for-all, winner-takes-all rumble on the cards, an unexpected whirlwind romance at the high-school dance between former Jet brawler Tony and Bernardo’s delicate little sister María sets the stage for an all-out turf war. But what’s a gang without its territory? Above all, when the future is uncertain, what’s hope without love?

About Movie:

West Side Story is an American musical romantic drama film directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg, based on a screenplay by Tony Kushner. It is the second feature-length adaptation of the 1957 stage musical, starring Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler in her film debut, alongside supporting performances from Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, and Rita Moreno—the latter also served as an executive producer.

Production Background

The film’s development began in 2014 at 20th Century Fox, with Kushner starting the screenplay in 2017. Spielberg was hired in January 2018, and casting commenced later that year. The dance sequences were choreographed by Justin Peck, and principal photography took place in New York and New Jersey from July to September 2019.

Release and Reception

West Side Story premiered at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater on November 29, 2021, just days after the death of lyricist Stephen Sondheim. The film was released theatrically by 20th Century Studios on December 10, 2021, after a year-long delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.The film received critical acclaim for its performances, Spielberg’s direction, musical numbers, visual style, and cinematography. Many critics considered it superior to the original 1961 film. It was named one of the top ten films of 2021 by both the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute. Among its seven nominations at the 94th Academy Awards, it won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress (Ariana DeBose).

Box Office Performance

Despite its critical success, West Side Story underperformed at the box office, grossing approximately $76 million against a $100 million production budget, with an estimated break-even target of around $300 million.

Legacy

Since its release, West Side Story has been hailed as one of the best musical films of all time, celebrated for its artistic achievements and emotional depth.

Budget & Box Office Collection:

Budget	$100 million
Opening Day	$10,574,618
Domestic Collection	$38,530,322
International Collection	$37,485,849
Worldwide Collection	$76,016,171