Kiss of the Spider Woman Will Now Arrive In Theaters This Fall
Kiss of the Spider Woman, the musical adaptation starring Jennifer Lopez, will be released in theaters this fall and in theaters all across North America in time for the 2026 award season.
Jennifer Lopez reflects on her new #Sundance debut, 'Kiss of the Spider Woman' pic.twitter.com/6ldy0eUxvq
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) January 27, 2025
Diego Luna, Tonatiuh, and former Dancing with the Stars Pro Tony Dovolani are joining Lopez in the film’s cast. Lopez and Luna also serve as executive producers of the film. Artists Equity, the production company managed by Lopez’s ex-husband Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, will also produce the film.
In 1980s Argentina, under a period of dictatorship in what’s known as the Dirty War, two unlikely prisoners form an unlikely bond. Luis Molina (Tonatiuh), a gay man convicted of corrupting a minor, and Valentin Arregui (Diego Luna), a political prisoner and revolutionary trying to overthrow the government. To keep their spirits up, Molina recounts the of a musical staring his favorite Hollywood diva, Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez), aka, the Spider Woman.
Kiss of the Spider Woman at Sundance
Kiss of the Spider-Woman premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 26 where the screenings were sold out. According to those in attendance, the film received positive praise and a standing ovation.
Standing ovation for Jennifer Lopez and Tonatiuh Elizarraraz at the ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ | #Sundance2025 pic.twitter.com/ulmyc0BY8Q
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) January 27, 2025
On March 25, it was officially announced that Roadside Attractions, Lionsgate, and LD Entertainment had picked up Kiss of the Spider Woman for release in North American theaters. WME Entertainment and CAA Media Finance negotiated the release deal.
According to its director, Academy Award Winning director Bill Condon, a theatrical release for Kiss of the Spider Woman was unmentionable. “All of us who made this film believe it needs to be experienced in a theatre, so we’re grateful and excited to be partnering with the very talented folks at Roadside Attractions, Lionsgate Studios, and LD Entertainment to make that happen,” he told reporters.
WOW. completely and utterly blown away by Tonatiuh Elizarraraz in Kiss of the Spider Woman. He’s dazzling and heartbreaking, embodying a character so vulnerable and so vital — what a beautiful reminder of how art can help us escape even the darkest, most repressive times. pic.twitter.com/NPQfhPRICv
— Cat Cardenas (@catrcardenas) January 27, 2025
Kiss of the Spider Woman was first shared with the world as a published novel in 1976 by Argentinean writer Manuel Puig. It was then adapted for the screen in 1985, starring William Hurt.
Given the film’s reception at Sundance, the desire for a theatrical release, and the overall commitment to spectacle, the creators behind Kiss of the Spider Woman undoubtedly want to garner all the award-season attention they can get. In the meantime, the 1985 version can be streamed on Max.
Writer | Tweet me @jamiem_torres
