Based on the original 1976 novel by Argentinian writer Manuel Puig and the seven-time Tony Award-winning 1993 Broadway musical by playwright Terrence McNally (Master Class; Ragtime), with a score by the legendary team of composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb (Cabaret; Chicago), the new film adaptation of Kiss of the Spider Woman, written and directed by Bill Condon (Dreamgirls; Beauty and the Beast), starring Jennifer Lopez, Diego Luna, and Tonatiuh, is slated to be released theatrically in the US by Lionsgate, Roadside Attractions, and LD Entertainment on October 10, 2025.
Set in 1980s Buenos Aires under a brutal military dictatorship, political prisoner Valentín, a Marxist revolutionary, shares a cell with Molina, a gay window dresser convicted of public indecency. As the two men form an unlikely bond, Molina recounts the plot of his favorite old Hollywood musical, Kiss of the Spider Woman, starring his favorite silver-screen diva Ingrid Luna as Aurora, and as the titular character who kills with her kiss. Through Molina’s storytelling, the harsh realities of prison life and political oppression give way to the escapism of musical theater, as both men (and the audience) are transported into the technicolor world of the film to explore the themes of love, identity, and resilience against a backdrop of societal turmoil and brutality.
In advance of the film’s official release, the main branch of the New York Public Library, located at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, presented a free ticketed preview screening of the movie on October 8, as part of its premier cultural series, and the original motion picture soundtrack, from Lakeshore Records and Center Stage Records, is now available across all streaming and digital platforms. Produced by Grammy-nominated music producer and supervisor Matt Sullivan (West Side Story; Dreamgirls), the 24-track album will be released in CD format on November 21, and vinyl on December 19. To pre-order, click here.
In a recent interview with Spectrum News NY1, Lopez was asked if she would be interested in appearing in a lead role on Broadway, to which she replied she is “completely open” to the idea; she also agreed with a smile that the time is right for a stage revival of Kiss of the Spider Woman. Does that imply that we can expect to see her Broadway debut as Aurora in the near future?
Kiss of the Spider Woman played on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, 6:30 pm, at the New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Celeste Auditorium, 42nd Street and 5th Avenue, lower level, NYC. The film opens in theaters nationwide on Friday, October 10.
