Jennifer Lopez to Star in ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’

Jennifer Lopez attends the Tribeca Festival Opening Night & World Premiere of Netflix's 'Halftime' on June 08, 2022 in New York City. Photo: Monica Schipper/Getty Images.

Preview:

Jennifer Lopez has boarded a musical movie adaptation of ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’
‘Dreamgirls’ Bill Condon will direct.
The film’s producers are looking for an unknown to play the other lead role.

Given the rapidly expanding universe of Marvel-based Spider-people that Sony has been bringing to the screen, news of Jennifer Lopez starring in a project called ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ might make you think she’ll be next to play a super-powered arachnid-influenced character.

Instead, she’s boarded a new movie musical, which adapts both the1976 novel by Argentine writer Manuel Puig and the 1993 Broadway musical that it spawned.

Kiss of the Spider Woman

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An adaptation of the stage musical based on the novel about a gay man and a political prisoner sharing a 1980s Argentinean prison cell. The gay man narrates the... Read the Plot

What’s the story of ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’?

William Hurt in 'Kiss of the Spider Woman.' Photo: FilmDallas Pictures.

The musical is set in an Argentinian prison in 1981. Lopez would play the titular role, a fantasy woman named Aurora created by Luis Molina, a gay hairdresser serving an eight-year sentence for allegedly corrupting a minor.

To escape the horrors of his imprisonment, Molina imagines movies starring Aurora as a classic silver screen diva, including a role of the spider woman, who kills her prey with a kiss. Molina’s life is upended when a Marxist, Valentin Arregui Paz, is brought into his cell, and the two form an unlikely bond.

Kiss of the Spider Woman

R2 hrJul 26th, 1985

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Who else appears in ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’?

(L to R) William Hurt and Raul Julia in 'Kiss of the Spider Woman.' Photo: FilmDallas Pictures.

As of right now, there is no other cast attached. According to Variety’s sources, the filmmaking team is currently searching for an unknown to play Molina. In a casting breakdown obtained by the trade magazine, the role “presents as an openly queer and effeminate gay man but may be on the non-binary/trans femme spectrum.”

Rehearsals would start in February with a plan to begin filming in April in New Jersey.

The role has some storied history –– in the 1985 non-musical movie adaptation, William Hurt took the Molina part and won the Best Actor Oscar.

And the musical won seven Tony Awards, including for best musical and for all three performers: Chita Rivera, Brent Carver and Anthony Crivello. So there’s certainly scope for trophy time here if the movie turns out well.

Who is making ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’?

Actor Ian McKellen, actress Laura Linney (center) and director Bill Condon attend the Academy’s 7th Annual Governors Awards in The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, CA, on Saturday, November 14, 2015.

(L to R) Actor Ian McKellen, actress Laura Linney (center) and director Bill Condon attend the Academy’s 7th Annual Governors Awards in The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, CA, on Saturday, November 14, 2015.

Director Bill Condon, who has plenty of form making musical movies, is at the helm of this one.

He previously wrote the screenplay for 2002’s ‘Chicago,’ wrote and directed 2006’s ‘Dreamgirls,’ directed 2017’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ live-action update and co-wrote the screenplay for 2017’s ‘The Greatest Showman.’

He’ll be working with music by legends John Kander and Fred Ebb, and the book of the musical by Terrence McNally.

Lopez, who has a new album due next year, is aboard to produce the film via her Nuyorican Productions company.

When will ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ be in theaters?

Given the filming plan, we wouldn’t expect this one before 2025 at the earliest. And since it’s an independent movie, it’ll also likely need to lock down distribution.