[imagesource: Disney/Fox]

The teaser trailer for Steven Spielberg’s latest film premiered at the Academy Awards, confirming his status as one of Hollywood’s most gifted storytellers.

As with many of his peers, Spielberg has decided to try his hand at adapting a musical for the screen, which, as the nightmare fuel that was Cats has shown us, can either go really well or bomb in the worst possible way.

Cats bombed. Hard.  Don’t watch it unless you’ve decided that you never want to sleep again.

Spielberg’s West Side Story looks like it could go in the other direction. While I’m not a fan of musicals, the trailer seems to suggest that it might be worth watching it just for the visual spectacle.

First, some background from Paste Magazine:

Spielberg’s film stars Baby Driver’s Ansel Elgort as Tony, alongside Rachel Zegler as Maria. The film also stars Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, Josh Andrés Rivera, Ana Isabelle, Corey Stoll, Brian d’Arcy James, and Rita Moreno, one of the stars of the classic, much-loved 1961 film adaptation. But with all apologies to director Robert Wise, the 1961 version of West Side Story doesn’t look anything like the gorgeous HD cinematography on display in this brief trailer.

Check it out:

Not bad. I might need to turn the sound down, but it makes for a pretty picture.

Coming to screens on December 10, 2021.

[source:pastemag]