Jennifer Lopez is set to star in a film adaptation of the Broadway musical Kiss of the Spider Woman, Variety exclusively reported. It's a good fit for Lopez as she has proven she can act, sing and dance.

The feature will be directed and written by Bill Condon, according to the magazine's source. The Broadway show's music is by John Kander and Fred Ebb from Terrence McNally's musical book.

Kiss of the Spider Woman: a quick overview

The Broadway musical is based on the 1985 film of the same title starring William Hurt, Raul Julia and Sonia Braga. The film is, in turn, based on the 1976 Argentinian novel El beso de la mujer araña by Manuel Puig.

The musical is set in 1981, in an Argentinian prison. Lopez will play the titular Spider Woman, a fantasy woman, Aurora, dreamed up by Luis Alberto Molina. Luis is a gay window dresser who is in prison serving eight years for allegedly corrupting a minor.

He lives in a fantasy world to escape the torture and humiliation he endures in prison. Luis imagines Aurora in movies, and while he loves all of her roles, there is one that scares him: the spider woman who kills with a kiss.

Then comes Valentin Arregui Paz, a Marxist who is brought into his cell already badly beaten and tortured. The two form an unlikely bond when Luis starts telling  Valentin about Aurora. Valentin in turn shares his life story with Luis.

The film will be independently financed and is looking for an unknown actor to play Luis. The casting breakdown obtained by Variety, Luis “presents as an openly queer and effeminate gay man, but may be on the non-binary/trans femme spectrum.” Rehearsals are scheduled to start in February and filming in April.

The 1985 film and the 1993 musical were both critically acclaimed and won major awards. William Hurt won the Academy Award for playing Luis. The Broadway musical won seven Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score and Best Costume Design for the musical.

Chita Rivera, who played the Spider Woman/Aurora, won Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical. Brent Carver, who played Luis won Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. Antony Crivello, who played Valentin, won Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical.