According to Deadline.com, Spielberg is circling the project. I say it never ever happens, but curious to see what others think:
Even though the Robert Wise original musical West Side Story is WestSideStory2about as sacred a cow movie as you are going to find, Fox has unlocked that movie title for a remake specifically because Steven Spielberg is interested in making it. No writer has been set yet and Spielberg hasn’t done anything more than register his interest, which traditionally has always been enough to get a studio hot and bothered.
Deadline.com
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/23/05
At least we won't have to hear Laurents bitching about it. Sondheim, I'm sure, won't be happy but will at least be diplomatic about it.
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/24/14
"The first computer generated anything I see, I am walking out of the film."
That's a lie written just to sound cool, and you know it.
"Hey, Spielberg, how about going back to your roots and filming the whole thing in live action."
Did I miss the part of the article where it talked about it being a CGI/Cartoon film? Or was that just written to make you sound hip and cool, also?
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/24/14
um, No Jordan, you don't know me! I grew up loving the original movie, I really just hope he keeps it real and does not go crazy with the CGI crap that so many directors are opting for these days.
Edited to correct my senor moment and confusion of Spielberg and Lucas.
Updated On: 3/5/14 at 01:33 PM
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/24/14
"At least we won't have to hear Laurents bitching about it. Sondheim, I'm sure, won't be happy but will at least be diplomatic about it."
Why wouldn't he be happy? He loved the Sweeney film (a film I *like* but c'mon--he still fawns over the changes made.) And I think he has said before that the WSS film doesn't work for him as well as it does on stage, but I could be wrong.
You mean the phony slang/swearing? While I agree it would be all the harder to make that work in a modern movie, I'm not sure you can just replace them with actual swear words-they'd have to do a careful job. I mean it always was a stylized take on street youth and violence--and I suspect they'd want tomake it more gritty and real which doesn't really work with the material.
This all sounds suspicious. Fox does not own WEST SIDE STORY. It was produced by Mirisch Pictures, Inc. in association with Seven Arts Productions and released through United Artists.
It's copyright was owned by United Artists and that copyright transferred to MGM when the those two studios merged.
Fox' Home Entertainment division distributes the film on home video through a deal with MGM, but they do not own the copyright.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/21/06
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/24/14
The Hollywood Reporter also says "Fox owns the rights."
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/what-a-stacey-snider-move-686105
Fox owns the film rights because they currently own the MGM/UA library, which includes West Side Story, released by United Artists.
Ten Academy Awards, a record-breaking soundtrack, and a huge money-maker weren't enough last time. Maybe Spielberg can finally make it better.
He should do it live on TV with Carrie Underwood and Usher.
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