Kiss of the Spider Woman (2025): Bill Condon’s (Unnecessary) Remake of 1985 Oscar-Winner

Oscar nominee Bill Condon directed Kiss of the Spider Woman, a so-so remake, which takes place mostly in an Argentinian prison and follows a queer window dresser who dreams up vivid stories of his favorite screen diva to escape the horrors of his imprisonment.

Grade: C+ (** out of *****)

Kiss of the Spider Woman
Theatrical release poster

At the end of the Dirty War, Luis Molina, a gay window dresser convicted of public indecency, shares the same cell as Valentin Arregui Paz, a political dissident involved with revolutionaries. Though initially irritated by Molina’s flamboyance and accentric personality, Valentin agrees to let Molina tell him the plot of his favorite Hollywood screen musical, “The Kiss of the Spider Woman.”

The in-universe film stars Ingrid Luna as Aurora, a successful publisher. Molina’s retelling also casts himself as Kendall (Aurora’s assistant, closeted homosexual) and Valentin as Armando (photographer and Aurora’s love interest). Aurora and Armando fall in love, but also encounter Paulina (Armando’s old flame) and Johnny Desiderio (a gangster).

There is no particular reason to see the new version, which for some reason carries an unusual big budget (more than 30 million) for an indie film.

This is the second film version of “Kiss of the Spider Woman” after the acclaimed 1985 feature from director Héctor Babenco, which grossed $17 million globally, and earned William Hurt acting kudos at the Cannes Film Fest (where it world premiered) and the Best Actor Oscar (at his first nomination!)

Even without adjusting for inflation over the past 40 years, the new take on “Spider Woman” might struggle to match those sales.

Acquired by Roadside Attractions and Lionsgate after its Sundance Film Fest debut, the new version opened to mixed critical response.