UPDATE: Let’s take a moment for “Kiss of the Spider Woman”—the $50M Jennifer Lopez-led musical that was meant to be a bold reimagining of the 1985 classic. Backed by Ben Affleck’s Artists Equity, the project had ambition, but the results look grim: it’s set to have a $840k domestic debut in 1300 screens — around $646 per-theater-average.
The writing was arguably on the wall when it premiered at Sundance—a curious venue choice that hinted at its commercial challenges. When no distributor bit at the festival, it ultimately landed a modest Lionsgate/Roadside release, but its eye now is no doubt toward VOD.
Roadside has once again proven its knack for burying its own films. The release was handled with such little care that public awareness was practically nonexistent—it might as well have been unreleased. A spectacular failure, arguably an even bigger faceplant than ‘Spinal Tap 2.’
It’s baffling why Roadside even bothered putting this out. There was no marketing push, no press outreach, not even a single email or press release. It’s as if the studio wanted it to disappear quietly.
EARLIER: Lionsgate and Roadside acquired “Kiss of the Spider-Woman” because they believed the film had awards potential. They set up an October 10 release to position it for awards season, with the goal—still likely in play—of campaigning both the film and Jennifer Lopez’s performance to Oscar glory. Delusional.
The musical premiered at Sundance to tepid reviews, despite a reported budget of over $50M. It should never have screened at Sundance; they should have waited for a studio to buy it before debuting it anywhere. Yet Roadside and Lionsgate went ahead with the acquisition.
The result? “Kiss of the Spider-Woman” is now targeting a disastrous $2M wide opening this coming weekend.
When the film premiered at Sundance’s famed Eccles Theater on January 26, multiple buyers—including Netflix, Amazon, Searchlight, and Mubi—were in attendance. But once the reviews came out, interest quickly evaporated.
Marketing has been abysmal. I had no idea it was even being released this Friday on nearly 1,500 screens. I haven’t received a single email about “Spider-Woman.” Nothing. Nada. So I was genuinely surprised to learn it even had a New York premiere this week.
The film is directed by Bill Condon, a veteran who’s had major hits with “Dreamgirls” and “Beauty and the Beast.” He won an Oscar for writing “Gods and Monsters,” earned critical acclaim for “Kinsey,” and also penned “The Greatest Showman.”
The cast includes Diego Luna, fresh off Andor, and a one-named actor, Tonatiuh. “Spider Woman” opens tomorrow night, and you can already sense that this whole enterprise is teetering toward disaster.
Based on Manuel Puig’s 1976 novel of the same name, Kiss was first adapted as a film in 1985. Directed by Hector Babenco, it garnered critical acclaim and received four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor, with the latter awarded to the late, great William Hurt.