Kiss of the Spider Woman (upcoming film)

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Kiss of the Spider Woman
Directed by Bill Condon
Screenplay byBill Condon
Based on
Produced by
Starring
Music byJohn Kander
Production
companies
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Kiss of the Spider Woman is an upcoming American musical drama film written and directed by Bill Condon. It is a feature adaptation of the 1992 stage musical of the same name by Terrence McNally, John Kander and Fred Ebb, which is in turn based on the 1976 novel of the same name by Manuel Puig. It is also the second film adaptation of the novel, following the 1985 film directed by Héctor Babenco. Jennifer Lopez is set to star in the titular role and serve as an executive producer, with Diego Luna and Tonatiuh co-starring as Valentin Arregui and Luis Molina. [1]

Contents

Premise

Set in an Argentinian prison in 1981 during the Dirty War, Luis Molina, a gay hairdresser, is serving an eight-year sentence for allegedly corrupting a minor. To escape the horrors of his imprisonment, Molina imagines films starring a classic screen actress named Aurora, 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.

Cast

Production

Development and casting

In December 2023, Jennifer Lopez was announced to star as Aurora in a film adaptation of the musical with Bill Condon directing from his own screenplay. The independently-financed production will be executive produced by Lopez, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina through their Nuyorican Productions banner, while Barry Josephson, Tom Kirdahy, Greg Yolen and Matt Geller will serve as producers and Sergio Trujillo will choreograph the musical sequences. Upon the announcement, a casting call opened for an unknown to play the role of Molina. [2] [3] In March 2024, dancer Tony Dovolani announced on his Instagram page that he had joined the cast as a mob boss. [4] In April 2024, it was announced that Diego Luna and Tonatiuh has joined the cast as Valentin Arregui and Luis Molina, with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon boarding the project as producers through the Artists Equity banner. Luna will also serve as an executive producer. [5]

Filming

On March 20, 2024, Lopez announced that production on the film had begun, with the intention to have a fast turnaround time so she can launch her This Is Me... Live tour on June 26. [6] Principal photography began on March 21, 2024 in New Jersey. [7] [8]

Related Research Articles

Kiss of the Spider Woman may refer to:

Kander and Ebb were a highly successful American songwriting team consisting of composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb. Known primarily for their stage musicals, which include Cabaret and Chicago, Kander and Ebb also scored several movies, including Martin Scorsese's New York, New York. Their most famous song is the theme song of that movie. Recorded by many artists, "New York, New York" became a signature song for Frank Sinatra. The team also became associated with two actresses, Liza Minnelli and Chita Rivera, for whom they wrote a considerable amount of material for the stage, concerts and television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Kander</span> American musical theatre composer

John Harold Kander is an American composer, known largely for his work in the musical theater. As part of the songwriting team Kander and Ebb, Kander wrote the scores for 15 musicals, including Cabaret (1966) and Chicago (1975), both of which were later adapted into acclaimed films. He and Ebb also wrote the standard "New York, New York".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Ebb</span> Musical artist

Fred Ebb was an American musical theatre lyricist who had many successful collaborations with composer John Kander. The Kander and Ebb team frequently wrote for such performers as Liza Minnelli and Chita Rivera.

<i>Chicago</i> (musical) 1975 musical by John Kander and Fred Ebb

Chicago is a 1975 American musical with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. Set in Chicago in the jazz age, the musical is based on a 1926 play of the same title by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, about actual criminals and crimes on which she reported. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal".

<i>Cabaret</i> (musical) Stage musical by John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Joe Masteroff

Cabaret is an American musical with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and a book by Joe Masteroff. It is based on the 1951 play I Am a Camera by John Van Druten, which in turn was based on the 1939 novel Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfred Molina</span> British actor

Alfred Molina is a British actor. He is known for his leading roles and character actor roles on the stage and screen. In a career spanning over five decades he has received a Drama Desk Award as well as nominations for two BAFTA Awards, a British Independent Film Award, an Independent Spirit Award, five Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Tony Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diego Luna</span> Mexican actor (born 1979)

Diego Dionisio Luna Alexander is a Mexican actor, director, and producer. He is known for his portrayal of Cassian Andor in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and the Disney+ series Andor, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Television Series Drama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chita Rivera</span> American actress, dancer and singer (1933–2024)

Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero, known professionally as Chita Rivera, was an American actress, singer, and dancer. Rivera received numerous accolades including two Tony Awards, two Drama Desk Awards, and a Drama League Award. She was the first Latina and the first Latino American to receive a Kennedy Center Honor in 2002, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. She won the Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2018.

William Condon is an American director and screenwriter. Condon is known for writing and/or directing numerous successful and acclaimed films including Gods and Monsters, Chicago, Kinsey, Dreamgirls, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2, and Beauty and the Beast. He has received two nominations for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, Gods and Monsters and Chicago, winning for the former.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Crivello</span> American actor

Anthony Crivello is an American actor, known for his performances on both stage and screen He appeared in the original cast of several Broadway shows, including playing Grantaire and Inspector Javert in Les Misérables, Valentin in Kiss of the Spider Woman, Eddie Fuseli in Golden Boy, Dante Keyes in Marie Christine, and the Killer in The News. He also originated the title role in The Phantom of the Opera: The Las Vegas Spectacular and stayed with the cast through its closing six years later. He played the Mysterious Man in the star-studded production of Into the Woods at the Hollywood Bowl and starred as Che in the closing cast of the original Broadway production of Evita. In 1993, he won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his performance as Valentin in Kiss of the Spider Woman.

Brent Carver was a Canadian actor best known internationally for performances in both London's West End and on Broadway in Kiss of the Spider Woman as Molina, for which he won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical in 1993 and was nominated for an Olivier Award. A subsequent Broadway appearance in 1999 in Parade as Leo Frank, led to a second nomination for the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical.

Howard McGillin is an American actor. He is known for originating the role of John Jasper in The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1985) and for portraying the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera from 1999 to 2009 on Broadway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Dovolani</span> Albanian-American ballroom dancer, instructor, and judge

Driton Dovolani, commonly known as Tony Dovolani is an Albanian-American professional ballroom dancer, instructor and judge. He is known for his involvement in the American version of Dancing with the Stars on ABC. Dovolani also portrayed Slick Willy in the hit film Shall We Dance? and spent time coaching actress Jennifer Lopez.

<i>Kiss of the Spider Woman</i> (musical) 1992 musical by John Kander and Fred Ebb

Kiss of the Spider Woman is a musical with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and book by Terrence McNally. It is based on Manuel Puig's novel of the same name. Directed by Harold Prince, the musical had runs in Toronto (1992), the West End (1992-93) and Broadway (1993) and won the 1993 Tony Award for Best Musical, as well as acting awards for all three principals in the cast.

<i>Kiss of the Spider Woman</i> (novel) Novel by Manuel Puig (1976)

Kiss of the Spider Woman is a 1976 novel by Argentine writer Manuel Puig. It depicts the daily conversations between two cellmates in an Argentine prison, Molina and Valentín, and the intimate bond they form in the process. It is generally considered Puig's most successful work.

<i>And the World Goes Round</i> Musical revue

And the World Goes 'Round is a musical revue showcasing the songs of John Kander and Fred Ebb. The revue takes its title from a tune the songwriting team wrote for Liza Minnelli to sing in the film New York, New York.

Kiss of the Spider Woman is a 1983 stage adaptation by Manuel Puig's of his Kiss of the Spider Woman novel.

Kiss of the Spider Woman may refer to:

Merle Louise is an American actress, best known for appearing in four Stephen Sondheim musicals, most famously as "The Beggar Woman" in Sweeney Todd.

References

  1. "Jennifer Lopez Set to Star in 'Kiss of the Spider Woman' Movie Musical". Peoplemag. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  2. Squires, Bethy (December 7, 2023). "Jennifer Lopez to Star in Kiss of the Spider Woman Movie Musical". Vulture. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  3. D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 7, 2023). "Jennifer Lopez To Star In Feature Adaptation Of Broadway Musical 'Kiss Of The Spider Woman'; Bill Condon To Write & Direct". Deadline. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  4. ""EXITING NEWS! Recording artist and film star, Jennifer Lopez, will star in a screen version of Kander and Ebb's 1992 musical Kiss of the Spider Woman. Our very own Tony Dovolani will play the role of a mob boss! #MustWatch #KissOfTheSpiderwoman #FADSct #fadsconnecticut fadsmassachusetts #jlo #jenniferlopez #tonydovolani"". www.instagram.com. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  5. Kroll, Justin (April 9, 2024). "Artists Equity Boards 'Kiss Of The Spider Woman' Adaptation Starring Jennifer Lopez, Diego Luna And Tonatiuh To Co-Star". Deadline Hollywood .
  6. Geisinger, Gabriella. "Jennifer Lopez musical 'Kiss Of The Spider Woman' begins production". Screen. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  7. "'Kiss of the Spider Woman' starring Jennifer Lopez begins production". Kemps Film and TV Production Services Handbook .
  8. "Jennifer Lopez Attached to Star in 'Kiss of the Spider Woman' Musical Film From 'Dreamgirls' Director Bill Condon (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . December 7, 2023.