EXCLUSIVE: Artists Equity as come on to to the adaptation of Kiss of the Spider Woman, serving as the main studio and producer of the feature adaptation of the 1993 Broadway musical, which was based on Manuel Puig’s landmark 1976 novel. Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Diego Luna and Tonatiuh will star in the adaptation as Valentin Arregui and Luis Molina, respectively. They join Jennifer Lopez, who was previously announced in the titular role.
The show, which won seven Tony Awards, was written by legendary playwright Terrence McNally, with a score by the equally renowned duo of composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb. The film is written and directed by Oscar winner Bill Condon with Barry Josephson, Tom Kirdahy and Greg Yolen producing alongside Ben Affleck and Matt Damon for Artists Equity, which has secured independent financing for the film.
Michael Joe, Dani Bernfeld, and Kevin Halloran will executive produce for Artists Equity alongside Condon on behalf of 1000 Eyes, Lopez and Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas for Nuyorican Productions, D. Matt Geller for Josephson Entertainment, as well as Luna, Pamela Thur, Sam Weisman, Daniel Weisman and Margaux Weisman.
The musical is set in an Argentinian prison in 1981, against the backdrop of what is historically referred to as la Guerra Sucia (the “Dirty War”) waged by the military dictatorship. Luis Molina (Tonatiuh) is a department store window dresser serving an eight-year sentence after being entrapped by police for allegedly corrupting a minor. To escape the horrors of imprisonment, Molina imagines a movie starring classic silver screen diva Ingrid Luna (Lopez) as both fashion editor Aurora and the Spider Woman, who kills her prey with a kiss. Molina’s life is upended when forced to share a cell with Marxist revolutionary Valentin Arregui (Luna), with whom an unlikely bond is formed.
Luna is coming off the Disney+ hit series Andor, which earned him some of the best reviews of his career as well as Golden Globe and Emmy recognition. Luna recently wrapped production on season two of the show.
Tonatiuh can be seen next in the Netflix thriller Carry On. Tonatiuh other credits include the TV series Vida.
In 2023, Artists Equity released its acclaimed first film, Air, starring Damon and Affleck alongside Jason Bateman and Viola Davis. Since then, the studio has produced the acclaimed, chart-topping documentary The Greatest Love Story Never Told, for Amazon MGM Studios, Small Things Like These, which opened this year’s Berlin Film Festival to critical acclaim, earning a Golden Bear nomination for Best Film and a Silver Bear win for supporting actress Emily Watson.
Luna is represented by WME and Tonatiuh is represented by Animal Federation.
