Production has wrapped on Fox and Steven Spielberg’s remake of the classic musical West Side Story, and the iconic director decided to share some thoughts and images via the 20th Century Fox Twitter account.
About West Side Story:
- Just like the stage production and 1961 film, Speilberg’s version will also be a musical telling the story of two rival gangs in 1957 New York City.
- West Side Story was inspired by Shakespere’s Romeo and Juliet and features music written by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
- The film stars Ansel Elgort as Tony and Rachel Zegler as Maria.
- The cast includes:
- Jets :
- Anybodys (Ezra Menas)
- Mouthpiece (Ben Cook)
- Action (Sean Harrison Jones)
- Jets leader Riff (Mike Faist)
- Baby John (Patrick Higgins)
- Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Maria (Rachel Zegler)
- Sharks:
- Maria’s brother and Sharks leader Bernardo (David Alvarez)
- Quique (Julius Anthony Rubio)
- Chago (Ricardo Zayas)
- Chino (Josh Andrés Rivera)
- Braulio (Sebastian Serra)
- Pipo (Carlos Sánchez Falú)
- Creative team includes:
- Tony Kushner (Scriptwriter)
- Justin Peck (Choreographer)
- Gustavo Dudamel of the L.A. Philharmonic (Conductor)
- West Side Story is scheduled for a December 18, 2020 release.
What they’re saying:
- An excerpt from Spielberg’s statement: “On every day of the past four years during which we’ve been preparing, casting, imagining West Side Story, I and my team, cast and crew have been walking in the footsteps of four giants: Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents, Jerome Robbins and Stephen Sondheim. For the light they’ve shed on the world, for Stephen Sondheim’s insight, guidance and support, and for the openhearted support of the Bernstein, Laurents and Robbins estates, I owe more than I can possibly express.”