Playing in 2,800 North American theaters, “West Side Story” is tracking to generate $10 million to $15 million in its opening weekend.
In 1961, “West Side Story” dominated the box office and swept the Oscars. Now, six decades later, Steven Spielberg’s long-delayed remake of the beloved musical, in theaters on Friday, looks to also find itself in the awards race after receiving rapturous reviews. But the film’s commercial prospects may be less certain. On paper, the latest take on the oft-adapted Shakespearean love story is primed to be a smash because it’s based on one of the most cherished musicals in theater history and emanates from Hollywood’s most successful filmmaker in Spielberg. But “West Side Story” is returning to cinemas at a time when audiences have been hostile to movie musicals — even the well-received ones. Playing in 2,800 North American theaters, “West Side Story” is tracking to generate $10 million to $15 million in its opening weekend. Some box office prognosticators believe ticket sales could reach $20 million, but others have cautioned that number may not be realistic for an adult-driven musical romance drama that’s arriving in a still-impaired moviegoing market. The spreading omicron variant could be a drag on ticket sales, too. Compared to other potential Oscar players, which have been struggling at the box office, a double digit start wouldn’t be a terrible result. Advanced ticket sales for “West Side Story” have been on par with MGM’s star-studded crime drama “House of Gucci,” which opened to $14 million around Thanksgiving and has continued to entice audiences. However, anything below $15 million would be a middling tally for a film of “West Side Story’s” scope. The problem is the Disney and 20th Century Studio’s revival cost $100 million, not including the millions spent to promote the film, which has been pushed back several times due to COVID-19.
