12 Oscar-Winning Films That Failed At The Box Office

There have been several film adaptations of the musical «West Side Story,» which re-interprets «Romeo & Juliet» in a 1950s New York City setting. However, in 2021 this musical film was directed by none other than Steven Spielberg, with playwright Tony Kushner penning the script. The cast included Rachel Zegler, Mike Faist, and Ariana DeBose, and wasn’t released until December 10, 2021, as a result of COVID-19 delays. Upon its release, the film was acclaimed for its cast, Spielberg’s direction, and fast pace despite being two and a half hours long.

However, as to be expected in the COVID-19 era, «West Side Story» was a major failure at the box office, grossing $76 million worldwide against a budget of $100 million. Disney chairman Bob Iger blamed the film’s poor theatrical performance on the pandemic, as well as the competition against streaming services and other late 2021 releases like «Spider-Man: No Way Home,» which dominated the box office at the time.

Nevertheless, «West Side Story» garnered seven nominations at the 2022 Academy Awards, including best picture and best director for Spielberg. However, to the surprise of many, the only one it took home was best supporting actress for Ariana DeBose, who stole the show in her performance as Anita, which allowed her to flex her experience on Broadway.