Pop Culture reporters @DiscussingFilm reports that West Side Story is now available to stream on Disney Plus and HBO Max. West Side Story joins fellow Oscar contenders Free Guy (on Disney Plus and HBO Max) and Drive My Car (on HBO Max), which also premiered on streaming services today. The Steven Spielberg film is a remake of the 1957 broadway musical of the same name. West Side Story stars Ansel Elgort with breakout stars Rachel Zegler and Ariana DeBose, whose charismatic portrayal of Anita earned her a nomination for a BAFTA and Academy Award.
'WEST SIDE STORY' is now streaming on Disney+ and HBO Max.
Read if it's worth the watch: https://t.co/txTX31ffXm pic.twitter.com/DDz9eRmz3y
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) March 2, 2022
West Side Story reportedly underperformed at the box office, earning a mere $10.5 million during its opening weekend. The small turnout is primarily influenced by the trending decline in movie theater attendance, an impact of the global pandemic. However, what it lacked in sales, it more than made up for in industry buzz; the film has received countless praise and accolades since its theatrical release on December 10th, 2021, earning itself a cumulative total of 276 award nominations, including an Academy Award for Best Motion Picture of the Year. The decision to translate West Side Story to streaming could be influenced by its underwhelming box office numbers. Releasing a film on a streaming service is a great way to reach a broader audience. According to Business Insider, Netflix’s original Red Notice finished its first month at 364 million hours. We’re definitely seeing a trend in films released on streaming services like Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which premiered on HBO Max.
West Side Story stars Broadway actors David Alvarez (On The Town), Brian d’Arcy James (Something Rotten), Mike Faist (Dear Evan Hansen), Corey Stoll (A View From The Bridge), and Rita Moreno, who plays Anita in the 1961 film adaptation.
You can stream West Side Story now on Disney Plus and HBO Max. For more information about movies on streaming services, follow @thenerdstash on Twitter.