Perhaps one of 2021’s most anticipated big-budget Hollywood films will end up as the year’s biggest flop. Steven Spielberg’s update to West Side Story had enough buzz to rake in four Golden Globe Nominations just three days after it hit American theaters. Yet, even without streaming services to siphon off audiences, the movie tanked—generating just $10 million during its opening weekend. Few analysts expect it to cover its reportedly $100 million production budget before going into online streaming.
This is unfortunate. Spielberg’s version of West Side Story is better in many respects than the 1961 film. It’s also more true to the
