Steven Spielberg calls West Side Story most 'daunting' film of his career

According to acclaimed Hollywood filmmaker Steven Spielberg, the film adaptation of the musical West Side Story is the most difficult project of his career. West Side Story portrays the classic story of intense rivalries and youthful love in 1957 New York City, with writing by Tony Award winner and Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Kushner.

In it, Spielberg shares how he felt while directing the picture, combining the best of Broadway and Hollywood. This is, according to the famed director, the most challenging film he has ever worked on. He mentioned that West Side Story had possibly the best musical score ever written for the stage, which none of them disagreed with.

Take a masterpiece and re-create it through fresh eyes and sensibilities without compromising the purity of what is usually recognised as the best music ever created for the theatre, as per Spielberg. The ET director believes that great stories should be recounted often, in part to incorporate different viewpoints and memories from her own life into the work.

The amazing thing about this story, according to Spielberg, is that no matter how much the world around us changes, the lessons and insights it delivers do not. The story has fascinated audiences for decades, according to the filmmaker, since it is not only a love story, but also a culturally significant work with the basic concept that love transcends prejudice and intolerance, a message that hasn't lost its importance for him.

As per the legendary filmmaker, West Side Story means a lot to a lot of people, and he's excited to be able to give it new life and share it with a new audience.

In addition to Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, and David Alvarez, the film also stars Mike Faist, Josh Andres Rivera, Ana Isabelle, Corey Stoll, Brian d'Arcy James, and Rita Moreno in supporting roles.

On December 10, 2021, Disney India will release West Side Story from 20th Century Studios.