The previous few years have been nice for musical followers, as each world sensations and offbeat musicals have gotten diversifications for the massive display screen. Whereas followers wait to see if Depraved finally ends up being the subsequent musical to win Finest Image, the style is already getting a brand new entry with Invoice Condon’s Kiss of the Spider Girl. Primarily based off the Kander and Ebb musical of the identical identify, the movie model will star Jennifer Lopez within the titular position. It not too long ago premiered at Sundance, main JLo to deal with an applauding viewers by saying “I have been ready for this second all my life.”
Whereas JLo was famously snubbed for Hustlers, followers puzzled if maybe Kiss of the Spider Girl is likely to be her subsequent likelihood at an Oscar nomination. The constructive buzz has formally begun, with JLo rocking a spider gown on the Sundance premiere, and addressing the gang after receiving a standing ovation. Per Selection, she spoke about her love for the style, providing:
I’ve been ready for this second my complete life. The rationale I even needed to be on this enterprise is as a result of my mother would sit me in entrance of the TV and [‘West Side Story’] would come on yearly. I used to be mesmerized and was like, ‘That’s what I wish to do.’ That is the primary time I really bought to do it. This artificial my dream come true.
Fairly touching stuff. With Jennifer Lopez’s years of being a worldwide pop star and fame as a triple menace, one may need assumed she’s already gotten to be in a musical. However that hasn’t occurred simply but, and it sounds just like the Kiss of the Spider Girl film has been a labor of affection for that motive.
Musical theater nerds like myself would possibly recall that the “Let’s Get Loud” singer almost bought the prospect to do a musical a number of years again. Lopez was introduced to be starring within the reside televised Bye Bye Birdie occasion, however that mission by no means really got here to fruition following a number of delays. And now it looks like these sort of reside TV musicals are just about over.
What Is Kiss of the Spider Girl About?
As beforehand talked about, the Kiss of the Spider Girl film might be directed by John Condon, who has praised JLo and joked she was born within the mistaken time. However non-theater folks won’t know a lot about this Kander & Ebb musical, which initially starred the legendary Chita Rivera in Lopez’s position(s) Ingrid Luna/Aurora/The Spider Girl.
The story it set in an Argentine jail in 1981, and follows Luis Molina, a homosexual hairdresser. He imagines fantasy sequences to flee his bleak actuality, starring legendary actress Ingrid Luna (performed within the movie by Lopez). It is a shifting and genre-bending piece of musical theater, one written by the identical composers who introduced us Chicago, Cabaret, and extra.
Sadly, it is at the moment unclear when Kiss of the Spider Girl will get its full theatrical launch, however I assume it’s going to be among the many 2025 film releases. Fingers crossed we get extra info quickly.