Jennifer Lopez returns to cinemas with "Kiss of the Spider Woman"

After returning to the small screen with the Netflix romantic comedy Office Romance, which has topped the platform’s global English-language film chart for the past two weeks, Jennifer Lopez is also making her way back to Italian cinemas.

Kiss of the Spider Woman, directed by Bill Condon and starring Jennifer Lopez alongside Diego Luna and Tonatiuh, arrives in Italian theaters on June 18 through Eagle Pictures, CE Report quotes ANSA.

The film is based on the story originally written as a novel by Manuel Puig and later adapted for the big screen in 1985 by Hector Babenco. That version starred William Hurt, who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance, alongside Raul Julia and Sonia Braga.

Condon, known for directing film adaptations of musicals such as Chicago, Dreamgirls, and the live-action version of Beauty and the Beast, adapts the Broadway musical based on Puig’s novel. Featuring music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and a book by Terrence McNally, the stage production premiered on Broadway in 1993 and won seven Tony Awards. The director said he also wanted the film to pay tribute to both Puig’s novel and Babenco’s acclaimed adaptation.

Set in Argentina during the military dictatorship of the early 1980s, the story follows political prisoner Valentín, played by Diego Luna, who is transferred to a prison cell shared with Luis Molina, portrayed by newcomer Tonatiuh, a gay window dresser serving an eight-year sentence.

Despite initial distrust, particularly as Valentín endures interrogations and torture, the two men develop a deep bond through Luis’s vivid storytelling. At the center of his fantasies is his favorite actress, Ingrid Luna, played by Jennifer Lopez, and her most beloved film, a musical titled Kiss of the Spider Woman. Within the dreamlike world created inside the prison cell, the boundaries between fiction and reality begin to blur.

Lopez, who also serves as an executive producer alongside Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, described the role as a lifelong dream.

“This is something I’ve waited my whole life for,” she said. “The reason I entered this industry goes back to when I was a child and my mother would show me West Side Story every Thanksgiving. I was captivated and thought, ‘This is what I want to do.’ This film is a dream come true.”

The actress added that films and music help people overcome difficult moments in their lives and emphasized that the story highlights the importance of love and human connection, helping bridge divisions between people.

In a much lighter role, Lopez also stars in Netflix’s Office Romance, directed by Ol Parker. The romantic comedy features her as Jackie, the brilliant CEO of an airline company who develops a growing connection with Daniel, an English lawyer played by Brett Goldstein, who also co-wrote the film.

The strong chemistry between the two stars sparked speculation about a possible off-screen romance during the promotional tour, rumors that were quickly denied by both actors.

“In Office Romance, it’s the first time I’ve played a boss rather than a character working for wealthy people,” Lopez told Tudum. “In romantic comedies, I’ve usually portrayed women hoping to be saved. Jackie isn’t looking for love.”

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