Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” has been bumped a year from Dec. 18 of this year until Dec. 10, 2021, Disney announced on Wednesday.
The studio also pushed “Black Widow” from Nov. 6 to May 7, 2021. “Eternals” will now open on Nov. 5, 2021, instead of Feb. 12, 2021, and “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” previously dated for May 7, 2021, will now open on July 9, 2021.
Spielberg is directed and co-producing “West Side Story,” with a screenplay by Tony Kushner. It is the adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical by Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. A film adaptation was released in 1961.
The new adaptation will star Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler as Tony and Maria, while Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, Corey Stoll and Brian d’Arcy James and Rita Moreno will also star.
“West Side Story” explores young love and tensions between rival gangs the Jets and the Sharks on the streets of 1957 New York.
Tony winner Justin Peck will choreograph the musical numbers in the film. Also leading the production are Tony-winning producer Kevin McCollum and Oscar-nominated producer Kristie Macosko Krieger.
So far, no other big blockbuster is scheduled for Dec. 10, 2021, but an untitled “Spider-Man” sequel is slated for Dec. 16, 2021. Universal’s adaptation of the “Wicked” musical is also scheduled for release on Dec. 22, 2021.