With Steven Spielberg currently riding high on a wave of positive critical reactions to his take on West Side Story, including our own ★★★★★ appraisal, Universal has taken the opportunity to announce the release date for his next feature film, with his semi-autobiographical drama The Fabelmans now landing on November 23, 2022.
The Fabelmans, while not directly based on events in his life, will instead draw heavy inspiration from the iconic filmmaker’s childhood to form a coming-of-age drama will that will focus on Spielberg’s formative years in Phoenix, Arizona.
Paul Dano is set to play a character based on Spielberg’s father, while Michelle Williams has been cast in a role inspired by the filmmakers mother, with Seth Rogen a version of his favourite Uncle. Gabriel LaBelle (The Predator) has been cast as the young Spielberg.
As is the way with most of Spielberg’s post Jaws/Close Encounters output, the studio is expecting a quick turnaround on the The Fablemans, with a rumoured summer start and a new release date of November 23, 2022, which will see it go up against an untitled Disney animated film and the Michael B. Jordan directed Creed III.
Are you looking forward to The Fabelmans, or do you wish Spielberg was still directing Indiana Jones 5? Let us know by heading to our social channels @FlickeringMyth…
An adaptation of the original Broadway musical, WEST SIDE STORY explores young love and tensions between rival gangs the Jets and the Sharks on the streets of 1957 New York.
West Side Story features a cast that includes Ansel Elgort (Tony), Rachel Zegler (Maria), Ezra Menas (Anybodys), Ben Cook (Mouthpiece), Sean Harrison Jones (Action), Mike Faist (Riff), Patrick Higgins (Baby John), David Alvarez (Bernardo), Julius Anthony Rubio (Quique), Ricardo Zayas (Chago), Josh Andrés Rivera (Chino), Sebastian Serra (Braulio), Carlos Sánchez Falú (Pipo), Ariana DeBose (Anita), Ana Isabelle (Rosalia), Corey Stoll (Lieutenant Schrank), Brian d’Arcy James (Officer Krupke), Curtiss Cook (Abe), and Rita Moreno (Valentina).
West Side Story dances onto cinema screens on December 10th, 2021.