A new trailer for the highly anticipated movie musical West Side Story has been released today by 20th Century Studios.
The movie is being directed by Academy Award winner Steven Spielberg and is due to hit cinemas in December.
You can watch it here:
It is a reimagining of the beloved 1961 musical with Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer, seeing star-crossed lovers Tony (Ansel Elgort) and María (Rachel Zegler) caught up in the fierce rivalry of their respective street gangs and dealing with the racial implications that come with being an immigrant in New York in 1957.
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Pegged as a musical version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, it is the latest in a long line of movie musicals being developed this year.
The new trailer shows Zegler singing 'Tonight' in the background as she gets ready for a dance and then meets Tony, fighting against the expectations of their family.
The screenplay is being written by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Tony Kushner, and the movie will also star Arian Debose as Anita, David Alvarez as Bernardo, Mike Faist as Riff, Josh Andrés Rivera as Chino, Ana Isabelle as Rosalía, Corey Still as Lieutenant Schrak, Brian d'Arcy James as Officer Krupke, and Rita Moreno as Valentina.
Moreno is one of only three artists to be honoured with an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, Tony, and Peabody Award, and was also in the original West Side Story film.
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With catchy songs, a great story, and iconic dance sequences, the trailer is proving to be a hit already.
One fan on Twitter wrote, "CRYING, [Rachel Zegler] looks so good and her voice and ENEJNINOIAISDUUI."
Another said, "My god it looks glorious. I ca't wait to see those brilliant Spielberg compositions play out on the big screen!"
A third said, "I cannot wait to see this movie. Watched part of it being filmed here in my city! Such a great experience."
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A fourth wrote, "Absolutely incredible, omg. The cast look phenomenal, Steven is a genius."
While many are clearly excited for the movie, and for Zegler's starring role, the film is not without controversy as it stars Ansel Elgort, who was previously accused on social media of sexual assaulting a 17-year-old girl in 2014. Elgort denied all the allegations, saying he "have never and would never assault anyone."
In response to the new trailer, one person tweeted: "Nice trailer but the lead of this film was exposed for allegedly assaulting and grooming a bunch of teen girls, and the studio, cast, and media has seemed to completely ignore it."
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West Side Story will be in theatres on December 10, 2021.
Featured Image Credit: 20th Century StudiosTopics: Music