Step into the magic of ‘West Side Story’

With the presentation of a historic 93rd Academy Awards yesterday we were treated to an amazing surprise courtesy of legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg with the release of the first teaser trailer for the much anticipated big-screen musical West Side Story.

Watch the brand new and beautiful teaser trailer for West Side Story below:

Here’s the official synopsis:

Teenagers Tony and Maria, despite having affiliations with rival street gangs, the Jets and Sharks, fall in love in 1950s New York City.

Using the combination of music and imagery to build a deeply emotional and affecting atmosphere, this first teaser trailer sets the atmosphere for Speilberg’s new rendition of West Side Story, a timeless classic which audiences will once again be sure to fall in love with as young stars Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler step into the characters of Tony and Maria, previously played by Richard Beymer and Natalie Wood in the classic 1961 adaptation.

Spielberg and frequent collaborator Tony Kushner (Munich, Lincoln) have worked to more closely follow the original broadway production of Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, and audiences can expect a lavish production thanks to Spielberg’s masterful directorial hand.

While we only get a quick look into the film with this teaser trailer it is clear that this will be an emotional and beautiful story of love, loss and the struggle of two unique groups of people in 1950s New York. Both Speilberg and Kushner are working to capture the essence of not only the struggles of working Irish-American youths of the time period, but also the essence of the immigrant experience of the Puerto Rican community who are working to make a home for themselves in New York City.

West Side Story is sure to be one of 2021’s most beautiful films, and this one will be a film that audiences will not want to miss out on. Prepare yourself for beauty, grace and a timeless story when it arrives in cinemas this December.