PG-13 | Musical/Romance, Crime Drama | 2h 36m
Love at first sight strikes when young Tony spots Maria at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Their burgeoning romance helps to fuel the fire between the warring Jets and Sharks — two rival gangs vying for control of the streets.
Directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay by Tony Kushner. It is the second feature-length adaptation of the 1957 stage musical of the same name, which in turn was inspired by William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet. It stars Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler (in her feature film debut) with Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, and Rita Moreno in supporting roles. Moreno, who starred in the 1961 film adaptation, also served as an executive producer, alongside Kushner. The film features music composed by Leonard Bernstein, with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.