Everything you need to know about the upcoming adaptation of West Side Story, directed by the talented Steven Spielberg:
Back in the 1950s when Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents, and Stephen Sondheim were hard at work adapting the iconic Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet into a musical production, they never anticipated the extent of their work’s success, from Broadway, to the big-screen in 1961 by director Robert Wise. Furthermore, they could never expected that almost 50 years after its creation, their story would be reinterpreted by one of the greatest all-time American film directors. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this upcoming version detailing the famous rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks will hit theatres sometime in December 2020. Here’s everything we know so far.
The story
With a script by Tony Kushner, who previously worked with Spielberg on Munich and Lincoln, the plot is that of the original musical comedy, and is based much more on the Broadway version, including the timeless dance routines, than the Robert Wise film from 1961. The story is largely kept the same, focusing on the forbidden love between Tony and Maria, who are both members of opposing gangs.
The cast
As for the lead roles, Ansel Elgort, most notably seen in Baby Driver, The Fault In Our Stars, and currently starring in the upcoming Goldfinch, will play the role of Tony, a member of a Polish gang dubbed The Jets. In the role of the beautiful Maria, Rachel Zegler is making her face known. The young highschooler from New Jersey was cast in the role after a viral video showed her singing a beautiful rendition of Shallow. The rest of the cast features up-and-coming actors, such as Ezra Menas, Ben Cook, David Alvarez, and two Broadway stars, Mike Faist and Paloma Garcia-Lee. Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the 1961 West Side Story film, will also make an appearance.
The music
American composer David Newman, known for his work in Anastasia, Ice Age, and The War of the Roses, will be in charge of the new adaptations of Leonard Bernstein‘s original soundtrack, with the help of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.
The filming
Having began in June, filming is taking place mostly in New York City, with an emphasis on Harlem, near the San Juan Hill neighborhood where the original 1961 West Side Story was shot. Some of the scenes will also be shot in New Jersey, primarily in the city of Paterson.
The first images from the film
The cast from the upcoming 2020 cinematic version of “West Side Story”
© Twentieth Century Fox France
Ariana DeBose in the role of Anita
© Twentieth Century Fox France
Translated by Zoe Hofmann
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