'Kiss Of The Spider Woman' starring Jennifer Lopez begins production

Jennifer Lopez will star in the movie adaptation of Kiss Of The Spider Woman, based on the 1993 musical of the same name. The film is being written and directed by Dreamgirls’ Bill Condon.

Filming is scheduled to begin in early April in New Jersey, according to the New Jersey Film Commission. It will take place at CineLease Studios Caven Point in Jersey City and 10 Basin Studios in Kearny. 

Lopez seemingly confirmed the start of production via her Instagram story that featured the words ‘Day 1’ and a spiderweb emoji.

The musical follows the story of Luis Molina, a gay man sent to prison in Argentina in 1981. To escape the trauma of prison, Luis creates a fantasy woman named Aurora, played by Lopez, and invents movies starring her as a classic silver screen star. In one, she plays a spider woman who kills her prey with a kiss. However, when a Marxist named Valentin is brought into his cell, Molina’s life is upended and the two form an unlikely bond.

Nuyorican Production’s Lopez, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina executive producing.

Music is by John Kander and Fred Ebb and is based on the book of the musical by Terrence McNally, and original 1976 novel by Manuel Puig.