West Side Story has received 7 Oscar nominations directed by Steven Spielberg. It will air on Disney+ from March 2 in most countries. Tony Kushner highlighted some critical differences in Spielberg’s copy of the original film.
Steven Spielberg directed a musical romantic drama film based on a genre, i.e., musical. He had never tried this genre before. A movie in 1961 had adopted the same genre of music. That emerged as an eminent Romeo and Juliet tale that applied to 1950s New York. The film projected warring families that become warring gangs. The warring crew met as a pair of star-crossed lovers in the middle.
Who played Anita in the remake of the original 1961 film?
The casting director reported Ariana DeBose refused her role at the start. He said she refused her role as Anita four times before finalizing it. There was no one better than Ariana DeBose for this role.
DeBose’s career consists of theater and film. She is famous for her role as Alyssa Greene in 2011’s Company and the 2020 musical film The Prom. She has represented herself with ensemble roles in Hairspray Les Misérables. She did a feature ensemble role, too, like The Bulletin Hamilton. She has achieved credits from TV about Apple TV+’s Schmigadoon and by hosting Saturday Night Live.
Seven Oscar Nominations
When the West Side Story premiered in early December, it received near-universal praise. It even has wined over the hearts that might’ve been wary of another movie version of the musical. This astronomical praise has proved as the drama is up for seven Oscar nominations. Among these nominations, one is for the Best Picture. It stands among the top ten best movies of 2021 by the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute.
Is West Side Story a flop?
It has four nominations for 79th Golden Globe Awards but won three. They include Best Picture-Musical/Comedy and Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical and Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for DeBose. But the film’s financial success does not equalize its critical acclaim. It grossed $63 million worldwide against the production budget of $100 million.
Where can stream West Side Story 2021?
Due to coronavirus theatrical runs and streaming releases, rules have changed. Its streaming date has a delay than expected. The film should stream within the now-typical 45-day theatrical window. It seems a wise step for a movie to be available at home early like this one which showed underperformance. In this way, the audience can have plenty of time in early March to watch this film before the Oscar on March 27.
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The film is supposed to attract a significant viewership boost after the news that it will hit Disney+. It will be available in the U.S. and most international countries starting from March 2. Later on, it will stream in Taiwan on March 9 and in Japan on March 30. But it was recently available on ABC’s one-hour special Something’s Coming: West Side Story – A Special Edition of 20/20. The film trailer is below.
The movie has proven as one of the most acclaimed films of 2021. Spielberg has particular praise for the cinematography and casts like DeBose and Zegler. It is worth watching by a wider audience. Musicals did not get many ratings at the box office in 2021. But their streaming availability can help this movie to receive more viewership. In this way, those who cannot venture to the theaters in the pandemic can entertain at home. So, if they miss out on the big screen can enjoy a movie night in a month as Disney has set a date to stream it.