West Side Story
Summary
Steven Spielberg’sWest Side Storyremake bombard at the box business office when it arrived in theaters in 2021 – but it arguably pass the 1961 original , so it merit so much more . The movie was a passion project for Spielberg , who ’d wanted to point a musical ever since he saw Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins ’ originalWest Side Storyat a untried age . This gangland retelling ofRomeo and Julietrevolves around asterisk - crossed lovers from two sides of a crew warfare between the Jets and the Sharks : Tony , a reformed former Jet , and Maria , the sister of the Sharks ’ loss leader .
After being delayed by a twelvemonth due to the COVID-19 pandemic , Spielberg ’s reimagining ofWest Side Storyfinally hit theaters on December 10 , 2021 . Although it was universally acclaimed by critic and earn a boatload of Oscar nods ( including a Best Picture nominating address and a Best Supporting Actress win for Ariana DeBose),West Side Storybombed at the box office . It did n’t even make back its production budget , let alone its merchandising budget . But it deserve so much more , because it ’s one of Spielberg ’s serious recent movies and even , arguably , an advance over the O.G.West Side Story .
West Side Story Is One Of Steven Spielberg’s Biggest Box Office Bombs
It grossed just $76 million on a $100 million budget
When it was released in 2021 , Spielberg’sWest Side Storygrossed just $ 76 million at the worldwide box authority against its budget of $ 100 million . $ 76 million is n’t nothing , and other Spielberg movies have made a slew less , but in the case ofWest Side Story , there ’s a vast disparity between the cost and the loge function returns . IfWest Side Storyhad been made for a more modest budget of $ 30 - 40 million , then $ 76 million would n’t seem so high-risk and might even be considered a winner . ButWest Side Storywas injure by its mega - sized $ 100 million budget .
The usual principle of ovolo would paint a picture that , on a blockbuster budget of $ 100 million , West Side Storywould require to gross around $ 200 million to let out even . That would mean that , with a measly $ 76 million revenue , it ’s already $ 124 million in the Bolshevik . But according toVariety , it ’s even worsened than that . belike due to the costs of delaying the release by a year , Varietyreported thatWest Side Storyhad a break - even dot of $ 300 million . So , it ’s actually $ 224 million in the loss , reach it one of Spielberg ’s biggest bombs .
What Went Wrong With West Side Story’s Box Office?
There were a few reasons for West Side Story’s underperformance
There were a few ground forthe box situation failure of Spielberg’sWest Side Story . The source material might have been a little too old - fashioned to attract to younger audiences . The musical genre in ecumenical has struggle at the box officesince its flower in the sixties ( when the originalWest Side Storyenjoyed plenty of success).In the HeightsandDear Evan Hansenboth bombed in the same yr . It ’s gotten to the point where moving picture likeWonkaandMean Girlshave hidden the fact they ’re musical comedy in their selling – butWest Side Storydidn’t have that option .
A big part of it was just regretful timing . If it had draw out before the pandemic , it might ’ve been a hit . The waiver date was delayed by a year to accommodate the pandemic , butthe effects of COVID were still being feel at the box role when dramaturgy reopened in 2021 . Most audiences had gotten used to watching moving picture at home , and even fervent filmgoers were still reluctant to bring back to the enclosed outer space of a theater . Snake Eyes , The Last Duel , andThe Suicide Squadall sport giving motion picture mavin and all bombard at the box berth .
1961’sWest Side Storygrossed $ 44.1 million on a budget of $ 6.75 million .
West Side Story Is One Of Spielberg’s Best Movies This Century
Spielberg’s West Side Story might even outshine the original
Spielberg’sWest Side Storyremake deserved to do so much better , because it ’s easily one of his ripe movies of the twenty-first century . The theatre director ’s output on this side of 2000 has been a small hit - and - miss . The Terminalwas too saccharin to make a genuine emotional connexion , Ready Player Oneis a superficial hodgepodge of papa culture references , andIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ’s alien storyline was a bitter disappointment . West Side Storyis easily one of Spielberg ’s finest 21st - hundred exertion , along withCatch Me If you’re able to , Bridge of Spies , andThe Fabelmans .
Not only is Spielberg’sWest Side Storyremake a heavy movie;it might even be better than the pilot . The original movie ’s melodious numbers are shot with mostly stationary cameras , but Spielberg ’s camera slide through each number and bring together the dancers on the dancefloor . Plus , the performances are strong in Spielberg’sWest Side Story , the themes are search in more depth , and the visuals are attractively expressionistic . West Side Storydidn’t deserve to be a flop ; it should ’ve been a hitting .
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Cast
free-base on the 1957 Broadway musical , Steven Spielberg ’s West Side Story is the second feature - length film to adapt the musical for the big screen . Starring Rachel Zegler and Ansel Elgort , the cinema tells the tale of the tabu love between a young couple on opposite sides of a dispute between two rival gangs in 1950s New York City .
Based on the 1957 Broadway musical, Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story is the second feature-length film to adapt the musical for the big screen. Starring Rachel Zegler and Ansel Elgort, the film tells the story of the forbidden love between a young couple on opposite sides of a conflict between two rival gangs in 1950s New York City.
