Jennifer Lopez to Star in KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN Film- Page 25

[joevitus]

Posted: 10/7/25 at 9:27pm

With the exception of "So What?" I think the book songs to Cabaret are pretty mediocre, and I don't need another movie adaptation, especially since the original is a genuine masterpiece. I like characters bursting out into song, too, but Cabaret, Pennies From Heaven and Chicago all used the stage-performance-or-private-fantasy-as-metaphor to their advantage.

The wider audience seems to have a real problem with the traditional style, in spite of two staggering exceptions: Grease and Wicked. I think it would be especially hard to pull it off with Kiss of the Spider Woman, considering the gritty and violent conditions under which the characters live.

But that doesn't mean the movie version Condon made utilized this structure successfully. The rest of us still have to wait until we can judge for ourselves. Apart from Jennifer Hudson, I couldn't stand his movie of Dreamgirls, but I'm just hoping for the best and waiting...impatiently. 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 10/7/25 at 9:36pm

What about “What Would You Do?”?!

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/7/25 at 9:36pm

I will say I do think the "book" songs to Spider Woman are among their best, so I'll miss them.  In one interview, Condon says that John Kander considered it his most operatic score (which he explained as most truly integrated) so of course was sad to see that go, but understood.  I admit that part of my way of thinking is... I never saw any movie being made of this work at all so am happy with what we get and if it exposes anyone to the show (of course we did get that episode of Riverdale spin-off Katy Keane where one character performed their one person version of the musical, but, umm, yeah.)

Joevitus said: " I think it would be especially hard to pull it off with Kiss of the Spider Woman, considering the gritty and violent conditions under which the characters live. "  Right, I think that's part of the thinking (and even was for the film of Cabaret where there was some worry about a musical trivializing the rise of the Nazi party.)  Of course most of us don't feel that way, but it still seems to be a barrier for modern movie goers.  Wicked benefits from being a fantasy, and really some other movie musicals like Hairspray or, yes, Grease, are basically fantasies too.  If they DID keep the book songs for Spider Woman it would also probably have to be a much more expensive production with some way of making the prison scenes in their own way also stylized...

[joevitus]

Posted: 10/8/25 at 12:20pm

TotallyEffed said: "What about “What Would You Do?”?!"

It's okay, but not great. The message is powerful but the execution is rather mundane. 

Updated On: 10/8/25 at 12:20 PM

[shomeika]

Posted: 10/8/25 at 1:43pm

Review:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2025/10/08/kiss-spider-woman-movie-review-jennifer-lopez/86478402007/

Updated On: 10/8/25 at 01:43 PM

[KrupYou]

Posted: 10/8/25 at 2:11pm

Early numbers are a disaster. We are talking CATS bad......

Heartbreaking. I wanted this to be huge and return to broadway 

[BJR]

Posted: 10/8/25 at 2:15pm

It’s currently at 80% on Rotten Tomatoes. Sure, that can change. But I don’t know where that comment is coming from

[kadu335]

Posted: 10/8/25 at 2:28pm

BJR said: "It’s currently at 80% on Rotten Tomatoes. Sure, that can change. But I don’t know where that comment is coming from"

I think he meant in terms of box office, not critics. Not sure why the comparison though… Cats was a major studio release with a massive marketing campaign behind it. Kiss of the Spider Woman is an independent film opening on a third of the screens Cats had. The two aren’t really comparable in terms of box-office expectations (which isn’t to say I expect Kiss to be a hit; it would’ve been a tough sell regardless. )

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 10/8/25 at 2:31pm

KrupYou said: "Early numbers are a disaster. We are talking CATS bad......

Heartbreaking. I wanted this to be huge and return to broadway"

Well what exactly were we expecting? Because Cats numbers would make this profitable, it's only cost $30M versus Cats' $100M.

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 10/8/25 at 2:39pm

This is expecting to open with 3M, the reviews are mid (61 at Metacritic) and its not that famous of a title.

It's not going anywhere.

[shomeika]

Posted: 10/8/25 at 3:09pm

KrupYou said: "Early numbers are a disaster. We are talking CATS bad......
Heartbreaking. I wanted this to be huge and return to broadway"

HUh?  It doesn't open until Friday 10/10 although some theaters seem to have first public screenings tomorrow. Thre are NO box office returns on movies that have not even opened yet.

Updated On: 10/8/25 at 03:09 PM

[JSquared2]

Posted: 10/8/25 at 3:31pm

KrupYou said: "Early numbers are a disaster. We are talking CATS bad......

Heartbreaking. I wanted this to be huge and return to broadway"

 

Just go away, Broadway Flash -- there are no "numbers" yet.

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 10/8/25 at 4:54pm

Ouch.

Jennifer Lopez dazzles in ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ — until she sings

[BJR]

Posted: 10/8/25 at 5:01pm

I'm sorry, how did CATS do at the Bway and global box office compared to the '93 run of SPIDER WOMAN? 

I think the expectations should be tempered for the commercial appeal of this show and movie.

There's a reason they're leaning into the "J Lo in a movie musical" angle. Queer love story in a prison isn't exactly commerical.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/8/25 at 7:47pm

bwaylyric said: "Ouch.

Jennifer Lopez dazzles in ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ — until she sings"

And yet the icon given to that review is an ovation (SFChronicle has that icon as a recommendation) which is confusing...

But yeah I don't think anyone involved thinks this is gonna be a Chicago.

[shomeika]

Posted: 10/8/25 at 9:38pm

EricMontreal22 said: "bwaylyric said: "Ouch.
Jennifer Lopez dazzles in ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ — until she sings"
And yet the icon given to that review is an ovation (SFChronicle has that icon as a recommendation) which is confusing...
But yeah I don't think anyone involved thinks this is gonna be a Chicago."

Yeah this is very niche market, almost art house genre film. That plus it's budget was only 30M.   It's definitely not The Avengers and won't draw big audiences or $.  I just hold the stage show near and dear, and hope they do it even half justice.  Fingers crossed.

 

Updated On: 10/8/25 at 09:38 PM

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 10/8/25 at 11:15pm

TotallyEffed said: "With the exception of the incredibly unfortunate censorship (which they had no control over), I think Streetcar is about as perfect of an adaptation as anyone could have asked for. If only they’d had foresight to shoot the censored parts as written to tuck away in the vault until they could be shown.

There no way Sweet Charity could ever work successfully as a film (or even fully as a stage show) as long as the masterpiece Nights of Cabiria exists. What wasthe point of ever trying to remake it?! I love the score but for me,Sweet Charity has never been able to creep out of the shadow of the Fellini film. You can’t improve upon perfection."

Yeah, but that “Rich Man’s Frug” was worth the price of admission. Suzanne Charny, anyone…

Updated On: 10/8/25 at 11:15 PM

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 10/8/25 at 11:40pm

Don’t get me wrong, I love Sweet Charity! But I love Nights of Cabiria.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/9/25 at 1:54am

I find them such completely different pieces, I guess I never really thought of SC working or not working compared to Nights of Cabira

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 10/9/25 at 5:30am

Finally saw the trailer in a cinema today and what a difference that makes. It looked and sounded stunning! Looking forward to it when it’s released in Australia end of month! 

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/9/25 at 7:28am

Speaking of this playing on fewer screens, usually here in Canada any wide US release gets a release in Canada on the same date, but I just now realized we aren't for Kiss of the Spider Woman.  Distribution seems to be here through Mongrel Media who have a release date of October 17 but I still don't see it listed at ANY Canadian cinemas I've checked out in their upcoming film listings...

[MezzA101]

Posted: 10/9/25 at 8:09am

NYT (Elisabeth Vincentelli)

‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ Review: Play Their Favorite Song

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/09/movies/kiss-of-the-spider-woman-review.html?unlocked_article_code=1.sE8.4liI.fBYdT_xDWQkF&smid=nytcore-android-share

[inception]

Posted: 10/9/25 at 9:24am

Replying to Eric's post about movie times in Canada - unless it is a big event movie where they sell seats to the Thursday preview screenings, Cineplex generally doesn't list movie times for sale until the Wednesday of the week of release.

I'm heading down to Las Vegas today and it looks like the Palms has a big multi-plex which is the closest to where I'm staying that has showtimes for this listed.  The weather report is calling for rain tomorrow.  I was going to try to get to one of the outlet malls, but maybe the matinee?  Or I could do an 11am Tron.  No I'm joking -that looks like a bigger POS than this could possibly be.  I'm also NOT seeing the travesty of Wizard of Oz at the Sphere. Am booked for Steve Martin & Martin Short/Stevie Nicks/Suffs @ Smith Center

EricMontreal22 said: "Speaking of this playing on fewer screens, usually here in Canada any wide US release gets a release in Canada on the same date, but I just now realized we aren't for Kiss of the Spider Woman. Distribution seems to be here through Mongrel Media who have a release date of October 17 but I still don't see it listed at ANY Canadian cinemas I've checked out in their upcoming film listings..."

 

[theatretenor2]

Posted: 10/9/25 at 5:30pm

Is the general context of Dressing them Up lost or is it just the song that was cut? I think it's important in the storytelling of Molina.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 10/9/25 at 5:32pm

theatretenor2 said: "Is the general context of Dressing them Up lost or is it just the song that was cut? I think it's important in the storytelling of Molina."


He speaks a few of the lyrics like they did in RENT…