Book News Behind-the-Scenes Companion Book to New West Side Story Movie Released November 16 Steven Spielberg's film adaptation of the Broadway musical hits movie theatres in December.

By Andrew Gans

November 16, 2021

West Side Story: The Making of the Steven Spielberg Film, penned by Laurent Bouzereau and featuring 250 photographs and illustrations, arrives from Abrams Books November 16.

The 256-page tome chronicles the years of effort that went into bringing the classic 1957 Broadway musical to a new generation. Bouzereau was embedded with the film’s cast and crew and conducted interviews with director and producer Spielberg, screenwriter and executive producer Tony Kushner, Tony–winning choreographer Justin Peck, and the movie's cast. The book includes never-before-seen unit photography, storyboards, costume and concept designs, and behind-the-scenes photos.

Get a Behind-the-Scenes Look at Steven Spielberg's West Side Story Movie in New Sneak Peek

West Side Story, due in theatres December 10, stars Ansel Elgort as Tony, Rachel Zegler as Maria, Ariana DeBose as Anita, David Alvarez as Bernardo, Josh Andrés Rivera as Chino, Tony nominee Brian d’Arcy James as Officer Krupke, Corey Stoll as Lieutenant Schrank, and EGOT winner and star of the original 1961 film Rita Moreno in the newly created role of Valentina (a take on the character of Doc).

A host of Broadway alumni help fill out the cast, including Dear Evan Hansen Tony nominee Mike Faist, Iris Menas, Paloma Garcia-Lee, David and Jacob Guzman, Ricky Ubeda, Ben Cook, Sara Esty, Garett Hawe, Talia Ryder, Tanairi Vazquez, Eloise Kropp, Kevin Csolak, and Jess LeProtto.

The first teaser trailer debuted during the 93rd annual Academy Awards earlier this year, with a special introduction by Tony nominee DeBose. A longer trailer offered a listen to Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's "Tonight," as performed by Zegler as Maria. A third trailer offered sneak peeks at “Mambo” and “America.”

WATCH: West Side Story Ups the Ante in New 30-Second Promo

Filmmaker, producer, and author Bouzereau is the director and co-producer of the HBO/Amblin television film Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind and the Netflix/Amblin TV series Five Came Back. He is also the author of The Art of Bond and Hitchcock: Piece by Piece.

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Check Out New Photos of Steven Spielberg’s Film Adaptation of West Side Story

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(Updated November 16, 2021)