Jennifer Lopez To Star In KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN Film Adaptation

Variety is reporting that global superstar Jennifer Lopez has signed on to star in a big screen adaptation of John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Terrence McNally's 1993 Broadway musical, Kiss of the Spider Woman.

According to the report the film will be written and directed by filmmaker and screenwriter Bill Condon (Dreamgirls, The Greatest Showman).

The creatives behind the project are currently un the hunt for an unknown to play the leading role of Molina. According to a casting breakdown the role “presents as an openly queer and effeminate gay man, but may be on the non-binary/trans femme spectrum.”

According to the notice, rehearsals are slated to begin in February with filming planned for April in New Jersey.

Winner of seven 1993 Tony Awards including Best Musical, KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, based on the novel by Manuel Puig, explores the complex relationship between two men caged together in a Latin American prison for very different reasons. 

Valentin dreams of his girlfriend and the political revolution he once led, while Molina, a gay window-dresser, spins a fantastic yarn of romance and intrigue about Aurora, a B-Movie actress. When the Spider Woman comes to glorious musical life, KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN casts a spell that is breathtaking, heartfelt, and profound. 

Lopez began her career as an actor in 1991, before venturing into the music industry in 1999.

With the simultaneous release of her second studio album J.Lo and her romantic comedy The Wedding Planner in 2001, she became the first woman to have a number-one album and film in the same week. Her 2002 release, J to tha L-O! The Remixes, became the first remix album in history to debut atop the US Billboard 200. Later that year, she released her third studio album, This Is Me... Then and starred in the film Maid in Manhattan.

After starring in Gigli (2003), Lopez starred in the successful romantic comedies Shall We Dance? (2004) and Monster-in-Law (2005). Her fifth studio album, Como Ama una Mujer (2007), had the highest first week sales for a debut Spanish album in the United States. Following a relatively unsuccessful period, she returned to prominence in 2011 with her appearance as a judge on American Idol and released her seventh studio album, Love?. From 2016 to 2018, she starred in the police drama series Shades of Blue and performed a residency show, Jennifer Lopez: All I Have, at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas. She also produced and served as a judge on World of Dance (2017-2020). In 2019, she garnered critical acclaim for her performance as a stripper in the crime drama Hustlers.

Lopez is considered the most influential Hispanic entertainer in North America. In 2012, Forbes ranked her the world's most powerful celebrity, and the 38th most powerful woman in the world. Time listed her among their 100 most influential people in the world in 2018. Her most successful singles on the US Billboard Hot 100 include "If You Had My Love", "I'm Real", "Ain't It Funny", "All I Have", and "On the Floor". For her contributions to the recording industry, she has a landmark star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and has received the Billboard Icon Award and the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, among other honors. Her other ventures include beauty and clothing lines, fragrances, a production company, and a charitable foundation.