Diego Luna plays a political prisoner during Argentina's military dictatorship, with Tonatiuh as the gay cellmate who escapes harsh reality by retreating into movie fantasy.

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — A lavish, MGM-style musical is not typical Sundance Film Festival fare. But Sunday night Bill Condon brought such a creation—well, part of one—to Park City, Utah, with his adaptation of “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” starring Jennifer Lopez.

Sundance: On Sunday night, the multi-hyphenate finally achieved a long-standing wish, starring in her very first musical, care of Bill Condon's dazzling remake.

Sundance: Bill Condon On Revisiting 'Kiss Of The Spider Woman' After 40 Years & Turning Jennifer Lopez Loose In An MGM-Style Musical

That may dampen down following its Sundance world premiere, although Lopez will trail publicity wherever she goes, particularly as ex-husband Affleck is involved. This will play best to a musical theatre fans who will appreciate Condon’s staging (the fact he wrote Chicago is clear to see),

A lavish, MGM-style musical is not typical Sundance Film Festival fare. But Sunday night Bill Condon brought such a creation—well, part of one—to Park City, Utah, with his adaptation of “Kiss of the Spider Woman,

Kiss of the Spider Woman shines when it's a musical starring Jennifer Lopez, yet struggles in its prison segments.

The 2025 edition of the Sundance Film Festival finds filmmakers tackling prickly material with a warmer lens — or avoiding it altogether.

The plot in the new film follows the original in that it is centered on a political prisoner (played by Diego Luna) in Argentina who shares a cell with a queer window dresser (Tonatiuh), where they talk about the plot of a Hollywood musical starring a talented actress (Lopez).

Kiss of the Spider Woman, co-starring Jennifer Lopez, is a great example of the modern movie musical, and features a breakout performance from Tonatiuh.