Steven Spielberg's new take on the classic musical West Side Story finally has a release date, as Disney announced it will release the film on Dec. 18, 2020 -- when the studio has no plans to release a Star Wars or Avatar movie.

Ansel Elgort and talented newcomer Rachel Zegler are set to star as Tony and Maria, the star-crossed couple at the center of this timeless love story. The rest of the cast includes Rita Moreno (Valentina), Ariana DeBose (Anita), David Alvarez (Bernardo), Josh Andrés Rivera (Chino), Ana Isabelle (Rosalia), Mike Faist (Riff), Corey Stoll (Lieutenant Schrank) and Brian dʼArcy James (Sergeant Krupke).

baby-driver-2-ansel-elgort
Image via Sony

Spielberg took great care in casting the 40 performers who comprise the Sharks and the Jets, the rival street gangs at the center of the story. Dance Moms alum Maddie Ziegler has been cast as a member of the Jets chorus, which also includes Brianna Abruzzo, Kyle Allen, Kyle Coffman, Ben Cook, Harrison Coll, Kevin Csolak, Kellie Drobnick, Julian Elia, Myles Erlick, Leigh-Ann Esty, Sara Esty, John Michael Fiumara, Paloma Garcia-Lee, Garett Hawe, Patrick Higgins, Sean Harrison Jones, Eloise Kropp, Lauren Leach, Jess LeProtto, Skye Mattox, Ezra Menas, Adriana Pierce, Brittany Pollack, Daniel Patrick Russell, Talia Ryder, Jonalyn Saxer, and Halli Toland.

The Sharks chorus will include David Aviles Morales, Yesenia Ayala, María Alejandra Castillo, Annelise Cepero, Andrei Chagas, Jeanette Delgado, Kelvin Delgado, Gaby Diaz, Yurel Echezarreta, Adriel Flete, Carlos E. Gonzalez, David Guzman, Jacob Guzman, Ana Isabelle, Melody Martí, Ilda Mason, Juliette Feliciano Ortiz, Edriz E. Rosa Pérez, Maria Alexis Rodriguez, Julius Anthony Rubio, Carlos Sánchez Falú, Sebastian Serra , Gabriela Soto, Ricky Ubeda, Tanairi Vazquez, Jamila Velazquez, Isabella Ward, and Ricardo Zayas.

The Sharks and Jets appear in several of the musical's most iconic numbers, including “Cool,” “America,” “Gee, Officer Krupke,” “Jet Song” and “I Feel Pretty.” Justin Peck will choreograph the dance scenes, and filming is slated to start this summer.

Tony Kushner wrote the script, which is based on the original 1957 Broadway musical written by Arthur Laurents, with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and concept, direction and choreography by Jerome Robbins. Spielberg is producing alongside Kevin McCollum and Kristie Macosko Krieger. West Side Story currently has its release date all to itself, though that will surely change in the coming months.

steven-spielberg-west-side-story
Image via Disney
corey-stoll-west-side-story
Image via FX