Steven Spielberg’s critically acclaimed West Side Story sang off-key in its domestic debut with a subdued $10.5 million from 2,800 theaters, but the last chapter has yet to be written regarding the fate of the filmmaker’s first musical.
Heading into the weekend, 20th Century and Disney had hoped the movie — opening 64 years after the iconic Broadway stage play opened and 60 years after the first movie adaptation — would clear at least $13 million at the North American box office. Some tracking services had first-weekend estimates as high as $15 million or more.
The good news: West Side Story was able to claim the No. 1 spot on the weekend chart ahead of Disney Animation holdover Encanto.
Overseas, West Side Story debuted to $4.4 million from a smattering of major markets for a global start of $14.9 million, well behind the $25 million Disney was predicting (the omicron COVID-19 variant is an issue in many major European markets).
Musicals face a huge challenge in the pandemic era, since they rely on older adults, and particularly older females. So far, moviegoers over the age of 35 are the most leery in terms of returning to theaters. According to PostTrak, the largest quadrant were ticket buyers over the age of 55 (26 percent), while more than half of the audience was over the age of 35. The film performed best in big cities.
The hope now is that stellar reviews — the film boasts a 94 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes — and glowing audience exits, including an A CinemaScore, will help West Side Story build momentum throughout the year-end holidays. Spielberg’s movie is likewise expected to be a major Oscar contender.
In late December 2017, musical The Greatest Showman, starring Hugh Jackman, was written off as a dud when opening to $8.8 million. The movie, however, quickly turned into a sleeper hit.
In terms of recent musicals, West Side Story opened ahead of Dear Evan Hansen ($7.4 million) but slightly behind In the Heights ($11.5 million).
West Side Story was a huge draw in Imax and premium format screens, which turned in 33 percent of the gross.
Directed by Spielberg from a script by Tony Kushner, West Side Story was originally set to open in 2020. The film stars Ansel Elgort and newcomer Rachel Zegler as star-crossed lovers Tony and Maria, and opens 60 years after the first movie hit the big screen on its way to scoring numerous Oscars, including best picture.
Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist and Rita Moreno — the first Latina to win an Oscar for her role as Anita in the 1961 film — also star in Spielberg’s film, which was a passion project for the filmmaker.
The weekend’s other new nationwide release, the football drama National Champions, got sacked in its debut. The film, directed by Ric Roman Waugh, grossed $120,000 from 1,197 theaters on Friday for an estimated weekend opening of $300,000. STX, which is handling the films, is counting on a robust premium VOD run in January tied to the real-life national championship game.
More to come.
Source: HollyWood
