We were bound to get a new take on Phantom of the Opera because of the popularity of musicals and Hollywood's love of modern remakes. It has been a long time since the 2004 version, and it almost feels right.
Andrew Lloyd Weber is working on a 1986 musical that will be based on Gaston Leroux's 1909 and 1910 novel. This new version will be produced by Harvey Mason Jr. and John Legend. Since the French Quarter is where the new Phantom will be set, it makes sense that it will be in New Orleans. John Fusco is a screenwriter and a spec script writer.
Fusco wants to explore The Phantom of the Opera in a French Quarter setting. It makes sense to adapt Phantom there because of the city's heavy creole and voodoo cultures and the theatricality of the festival. Fusco is an accomplished blues musician, having previously collaborated with artists like Steve Vai and Sonny Terry.
It will be interesting to see if Phantom will be a good movie, but it will also be interesting to see the new setting and time period. Sometimes a movie can be made work by having a gimmick for their horror characters.
The Hollywood Reporter.
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