Steven Spielberg’s latest film, West Side Story, is currently up for seven Academy Awards. The musical is competing for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress (Ariana DeBose), Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Director. This marks Spielberg’s eighth Best Director nomination (he previously won for Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan) and his eleventh Best Picture nomination (he previously won for Schindler’s List). Despite West Side Story‘s success, Spielberg recently shared that he will not be helming any more musicals.
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According to Variety, Spielberg was attending the PGA Awards Breakfast when he shared with the audience that he will never direct another musical. However, he’s currently co-producing the musical adaptation of The Color Purple with Fantasia Barrino and Danielle Brooks in the lead roles. He directed the 1985 non-musical film adaptation, which was nominated for 11 Academy Awards.
During the event, Spielberg also talked about the challenge of getting the rights to West Side Story. He ended up going to the late, great lyricist Stephen Sondheim’s house, and shared a funny tale. “His dogs were sniffing my crotch, and I was afraid to push them away [as] I didn’t want to offend him.”
Throughout his career, Spielberg has directed many films that went on to launch franchises that are still adding movies today. A fifth Indiana Jones from director James Mangold recently wrapped production, and Jurassic World: Dominion is hitting theaters this summer. Speilberg directed the first four Indiana Jones movies and the first two Jurassic films, and he recently explained to The New York Times why The Lost World: Jurassic Park wasn’t a big hit.
“My sequels aren’t as good as my originals because I go onto every sequel I’ve made and I’m too confident. This movie made a ka-zillion dollars, which justifies the sequel, so I come in like it’s going to be a slam dunk and I wind up making an inferior movie to the one before. I’m talking about The Lost World and Jurassic Park,” Spielberg admitted.
As for Spielberg’s Best Director nomination this year, he will be going up against Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog), Paul Thomas Anderson (Licorice Pizza), Kenneth Branagh (Belfast), and Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car).
How do you feel about Spielberg deciding not to make any more musicals? Tell us in the comments!
West Side Story is now streaming on Disney+ and HBO Max.
