Fresh off its Best Picture nomination at the Oscars, Disney Plus has announced when subscribers can look forward to West Side Story becoming available to stream. After much anticipation, Steven Spielberg’s remake of the legendary 1961 musical arrived in theaters last December. Though it didn’t make much of an impact at the box office, it was widely well-received by critics and is unsurprisingly hoovering up nominations this awards season.
But if you missed the chance to see it during its theatrical run, you don’t have long to wait to catch it from home instead. West Side Story is set to start streaming on Disney Plus from March 2. The movie will become available from that date in both the United States and in most international territories. It will then follow in Taiwan on March 9 and in Japan on March 30.
What’s more, the one-hour special Something’s Coming: West Side Story – A Special Edition of 20/20, which originally aired on ABC in December, also landed on Disney Plus today. The special delves behind the scenes of the musical spectacular, featuring contributions from Spielberg and cast members. It’s also notable for including one of the last interviews with lyricist Stephen Sondheim, who passed away shortly before WSS‘s release last year.
Based on the stage production from composer Leonard Bernstein, the film follows star-crossed lovers Maria (breakout newcomer Rachel Zegler) and Tony (Ansel Elgort) against the backdrop of a gang war between the Caucasian Jets and the Puerto-Rican Sharks. Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, and Rita Morena — who also starred in the 1961 original — are likewise in the cast.
West Side Story earned itself seven nominations at the 94th Academy Awards, including Best Director for Spielberg and Best Supporting Actress for DeBose. It’s also up for Best Sound, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Cinematography. While its Disney Plus debut occurs on March 2, we’ll find out if it clears the deck at the Oscars on March 27.
Published: Feb 9, 2022 01:05 pm