History Trivia / WestSideStory2021

* WordOfGod: According to the script, Bernardo is 18, which would make him and María fraternal twins. On Twitter, Rachel Zegler [[https://twitter.com/rachelzegler/status/1483790161402081285?s=20 stated that]] there was supposed to be an age gap of 3 to 5 years.

* BoxOfficeBomb: Budget: $100 million. Total worldwide gross three months after release: ~ $72 million. The lack of returns was attributed to the poor marketing, the lack of big stars in the cast outside of Creator/AnselElgort and Creator/RitaMoreno, the surge of the COVID-19 Omicron variant keeping older audiences (its main target demographic) at home, and being released close to the highly-anticipated ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome''. As a result, this is Speilberg's fifth film to lose money after ''Film/NineteenFortyOne'', ''Film/EmpireOfTheSun'', ''Film/{{Munich}}'', and ''Film/TheBFG''.

* DyeingForYourArt: Mike Faist, who was already trim to begin with, [[https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2021/12/10/mike-faist-riff-west-side-story/ dropped 20 pounds for the film]] to give Riff a malnourished look similar to that of a 1950s gang member he saw a picture of during his research. Steven Spielberg actually had to step in to tell him to stop losing weight so he didn't endanger his health.

* BoxOfficeBomb: Budget: $100 million. Total worldwide gross three months after release: ~ $72 million. The lack of returns was attributed to the poor marketing, the lack of big stars in the cast outside of Creator/AnselElgort and Creator/RitaMoreno, the surge of the COVID-19 Omicron variant keeping older audiences (its main target demographic) at home, and being released close to the highly-anticipated ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome''. As a result, this is Speilberg's fifth film to lose money after ''Film/NineteenFortyOne'', ''Film/EmpireOfTheSun'', ''Film/Munich'', and ''Film/TheBFG''.

* BoxOfficeBomb: Budget: $100 million. Total worldwide gross three months after release: ~ $72 million. The lack of returns was attributed to the poor marketing, the lack of big stars in the cast outside of Creator/AnselElgort and Creator/RitaMoreno, the surge of the COVID-19 Omicron variant keeping older audiences (its main target demographic) at home, and being released close to the highly-anticipated ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome''. As a result, this is Speilberg's fifth film to lose money after ''Film/NineteenFortyOne'', ''Literature/EmipreOfTheSun'', ''Film/Munich'', and ''Film/TheBFG''.

* BoxOfficeBomb: Budget: $100 million. Total worldwide gross three months after release: ~ $72 million. The lack of returns was attributed to the poor marketing, the lack of big stars in the cast outside of Creator/AnselElgort and Creator/RitaMoreno, the surge of the COVID-19 Omicron variant keeping older audiences (its main target demographic) at home, and being released close to the highly-anticipated ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome''. As a result, this is Speilberg's fifth film to lose money after ''Film/NineteenFortyOne'', ''Film/EmipreOfTheSun'', ''Film/Munich'', and ''Film/TheBFG''.

* BoxOfficeBomb: Budget: $100 million. Total worldwide gross three months after release: ~ $72 million. The lack of returns was attributed to the poor marketing, the lack of big stars in the cast outside of Creator/AnselElgort and Creator/RitaMoreno, the surge of the COVID-19 Omicron variant keeping older audiences (its main target demographic) at home, and being released close to the highly-anticipated ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome''. As a result, this is Speilberg's third bomb after ''Film/NineteenFortyOne'' and ''Film/TheBFG''.

* BoxOfficeBomb: Budget: $100 million. Total worldwide gross three months after release: ~ $72 million. The lack of returns was attributed to the poor marketing, the lack of big stars in the cast outside of Creator/AnselElgort, the surge of the COVID-19 Omicron variant keeping older audiences (its main target demographic) at home, and being released close to the highly-anticipated ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome''. As a result, this is Speilberg's third bomb after ''Film/NineteenFortyOne'' and ''Film/TheBFG''.

* BannedInChina: Banned in multiple Middle Eastern countries for containing a transgender character, [[QueerCharacterQueerActor played by non-binary actor iris menas (zie/hir).]] Co-producer Kevin [=McCollum=] compared the situation to when Creator/WilliamShakespeare had to contend with the [[MoralGuardians Puritans]] who viewed otherwise-innocuous works such as theatre as the [[EveryoneIsSatanInHell work of the devil]]:

* AcclaimedFlop: The film has received rapturous acclaim from both critics and audiences who saw it alike, receiving boatloads of awards nominations, with many stating in some ways it might even be superior to Robert Wise's/Jerome Robbins' hallowed, Oscar sweeping, pop culture landmark '61 adaptation. This did not however translate to success at the box office, as in its first weekend it grossed a little over $10 million, against a $100 million budget. The heavily-anticipated ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'' coming out a week later and becoming the biggest Christmas release ever, combined with the increasing spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant keeping older audiences at home, greatly hampered its performance. Many of the actors, including Rachel Zegler, have taken this in stride, noting that it was either them or Spider-Man.

** Creator/StephenSondheim, as the only one of the four creative minds behind the original show who was still living during the film's production, was involved throughout filming and after seeing the film gave it high praise. He passed away two weeks before the release.

* BillingDisplacement: Creator/RachelZegler is the last principal actor billed in the end credits despite being the female lead; in the original film, Creator/NatalieWood was the first name in the credits. Justified due to her newcomer status and as a trade off she's given the prestigious "And Introducing" credit.
* BoxOfficeBomb: Budget: $100 million. Total worldwide gross as of March 2022: ~ $72 million. The lack of returns was attributed to the poor marketing, the lack of big stars in the cast outside of Creator/AnselElgort, the surge of the COVID-19 Omicron variant keeping older audiences (its main target demographic) at home, and being released close to the highly-anticipated ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome''. As a result, this is Speilberg's third bomb after ''Film/NineteenFortyOne'' and ''Film/TheBFG''.

*** Alejandro Orozco plays Tony and his father Creator/JoseLuisOrozco plays Officer Krupke.

* AcclaimedFlop: The film has received rapturous acclaim from both critics and audiences who saw it alike, receiving boatloads of awards nominations, with many stating in some ways it might even be superior to Robert Wise's/Jerome Robbins' hallowed, Oscar sweeping, pop culture landmark '61 adaptation. This did not however translate to success at the box office, as in its first weekend it grossed a little over $10 million, against a $100 million budget. The heavily-anticipated ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'' coming out a week later and becoming the biggest Christmas release ever, combined with the increasing spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant keeping older audiences at home, heavily hampered its performance. Many of the actors, including Rachel Zegler, have taken this in stride, noting that it was either them or Spider-Man.

*** Jessica Ángeles and her older brother Diego provide additional voices.

*** Creator/JessicaAngeles and her older brother Diego provide additional voices.

** In the Latin American Spanish dub, Alejandro Orozco plays Tony and his father Creator/JoseLuisOrozco plays Officer Krupke.

* BoxOfficeBomb: Budget: $100 million. Total worldwide gross as of March 2022: ~ $72 million. The lack of returns was attributed to the poor marketing, the lack of big stars in the cast outside of Creator/AnselElgort, the surge of the COVID-19 Omicron variant keeping older audiences (its main target demographic) at home, and being released close to the highly-anticipated ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome''. As a result, this is Speilberg's third bomb after ''Film/{{1941}}'' and ''Film/TheBFG''.

* BoxOfficeBomb: Budget: $100 million. Total worldwide gross as of March 2022: ~ $72 million. The lack of returns was attributed to the poor marketing, the lack of big stars in the cast outside of Creator/AnselElgort, the surge of the COVID-19 Omicron variant keeping older audiences (its main target demographic) at home, and being released close to the highly-anticipated ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome''. As a result, this is Speilberg's third bomb after ''Film/1941'' and ''Film/TheBFG''.

* BoxOfficeBomb: Budget: $100 million. Total worldwide gross as of March 2022: ~ $72 million. The lack of returns was attributed to the poor marketing, the lack of big stars in the cast outside of Creator/AnselElgort, the surge of the COVID-19 Omicron variant keeping older audiences (its main target demographic) at home, and being released close to the highly-anticipated ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome''. As a result, this is Speilberg's third bomb after ''Film/1941'' and ''Film/TheBFG2016''.

* BoxOfficeBomb: Budget: $100 million. Total worldwide gross as of March 2022: ~ $72 million. The lack of returns was attributed to the poor marketing, the lack of big stars in the cast outside of Creator/AnselElgort, the surge of the COVID-19 Omicron variant keeping older audiences (its main target demographic) at home, and being released close to the highly-anticipated ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome''.

* FakeIrish: Rory is Irish, specifically from Belfast, while his actor, Creator/JamieHarris, is British.

** Unique to the casting in this film, since Tony has always been Polish-American. The Puerto Rican Bernardo dislikes his sister María's dalliance with Tony, whom he calls a "[stupid] Polack". María is played by Creator/RachelZegler, who is partly of Polish descent.

** Paloma Garcia-Lee previously played Graziella when she was 15 at the North Caroline School of the Arts.

* StarMakingRole: For Creator/RachelZegler, who had never acted in ''any'' professional capacity before she won the role of María in the open casting call. Even before the film was released though, the word getting out that Spielberg cast her as a lead was apparently enough for her to land big roles in the sequel to ''[[Film/Shazam2019 SHAZAM!]]'' and the [[Film/DisneyLiveActionRemakes live-action remake]] of ''WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs''.

* YouLookFamiliar: Ben Cook plays Mouthpiece here, and also played Riff in the latest Broadway revival, which he did after shooting this movie but before the film had come out. He was only part of the already short lived production for a bit though, as an injury caused him to back out early on.

* AbilityOverAppearance: A downplayed variation. Creator/ArianaDeBose is Afro-Latina and has a darker complexion than the average Anita. There's nothing to indicate Anita couldn't be Afro-Latina, but the actress herself thought she'd look wrong for the role and even said so to Steven Spielberg, who insisted he wanted her for the part anyway.

* BillingDisplacement: Creator/RachelZegler is the last principal actor billed in the end credits despite being the female lead; in the original film, Creator/NatalieWood was the first name in the credits. Justified due to her newcomer status.