In a new featurette for 20th Century Studios' reimagining ofWest Side Story, directorSteven Spielbergreveals that making this movie fulfills a promise he made to himself years ago. Spielberg tells audiences that he’s been challenged for quite some time to decide what musical, if any, he’d like to make. When he asks himself that question, he can’t help but think of the musical that has stuck with him since childhood.West Side Storyoriginally debuted on Broadway in 1957 and is perhaps one of the most impactful musicals of our time.
“I was ten years old when I first listened to theWest Side Storyalbum, and it never went away,” says Spielberg. “I’ve been able to fulfill that dream and keep that promise that I made to myself. ‘You must makeWest Side Story.'”
The classic musical tells a timeless tale of love and division across communal and racial lines. Spielberg shares that those divides between “un-like-minded people” are part of what makes the message ofWest Side Storyso poignant, with those same tensions still present, if not more so, today.
RELATED:‘West Side Story’ Image Teases Steven Spielberg’s Ambitious One-Take
West Side Storycenters around the conflict between the Jets and the Sharks, two rival street gangs in blue-collar, 1950’s New York. A war breaks out between the Sharks, Puerto Rican-American immigrants, and the Jets, white working-class teens, amid territorial tensions. At the heart of it all is the love story between Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Maria (Rachel Zegler), who fall for each other in spite of their very different lives and backgrounds.
“It’s just that love bridges every divide. It’s timeless in the sense that we [should] be reminded of that story as often as possible,” says Spielberg.
The 2021West Side Storyscreenplay was written by Tony Kushner, whose credits includeAngels in America,Lincoln, andFences. The musical will feature many of the show’s iconic numbers including “America,” “Maria,” “One Hand, One Heart,” and more.Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the first film adaptation ofWest Side Storyin 1961, will portray Valentina in the new movie. Valentina is a new character, adapted and expanded from the original character Doc, who owns the store where Tony works.
West Side StorystarsAnselElgort,RachelZegler,ArianaDeBose,DavidAlvarez,RitaMoreno,Briand’ArcyJames,CoreyStollandMikeFaistand hits theaters on December 10. Check out the short featurette below.
