West Side Story, Dear Evan Hansen and In the Heights have all been box office flops this year, which has led to a questioning of the genre’s place in HollywoodIn a very strange year for movies, the failure of Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story is perhaps the most head-scratching development of all.
The remake of the beloved 1961 musical grossed just $10m on its opening weekend, and while the film could certainly improve upon its lackluster debut over the holidays, it caps a year of disappointments for fans of the movie musical.
In the Heights kicked off the summer with poor ticket sales and accusations of colorism for failing to have enough Afro-Latino actors in its cast.
Dear Evan Hansen created the rare consensus of the year, hated by critics and audiences alike, and endured prolonged mockery on social media for its casting of the crow’s-footed Ben Platt as its teenaged protagonist.
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