Andrew Lloyd Webber is hellbent on composing a sequel to his musical “Phantom of the Opera”. He hopes to have the musical done by 2009, and he’s already got a name – “Phantom: Love Never Dies”, which sounds vaguely like a James Bond movie. People are already rushing to cast the soon-to-be musical, and the two names that keep popping up are Aussie Hugh Jackman and Scotsman Gerard Butler.
Butler played The Phantom in the 2004 film version, singing with a rock n’ roll kind of voice. He sounded a little bit like the lead singer of Nickelback, Chad Kroeger. Hugh Jackman has more of a “musical theatre” kind of voice, probably because that’s his background. One of Jackman’s big breaks was in a theatre production of “Oklahoma” and he won a Tony several years ago for his Broadway role in “The Boy From Oz”.
Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber says the long awaited sequel to “Phantom of the Opera” should be ready at the end of 2009, with a possible simultaneous opening on three continents. Lloyd Webber told The Times of London that he hopes the new musical, to be called “Phantom: Love Never Dies,” will open in New York, London and possibly Shanghai or another Asian city.
“We’ve been into the feasibility of rehearsing three companies at once and opening very fast in the three territories,” he said. “The one which really interests me would be China. I think to open ‘Love Never Dies’ in Shanghai would be an enormous thing.”
He said the locale of the celebrated musical will be switched from the Paris Opera to New York’s Coney Island. The sequel will be set about 10 years after the original, which has been seen by approximately 80 million theatergoers in 124 cities worldwide.
And who will play the Phantom? Lloyd Webber is keeping that secret for now. “We are pretty clear who our Phantom is going to be — I can’t say who,” he said. The Times said possible candidates for the role include Hugh Jackman and Gerard Butler, who played the Phantom in the 2004 film version of the musical.
[From the Associated Press Hosted by Google]
Honestly, I think Jackman has a better chance at it. He’s proven beyond a reasonable doubt that he’s at home in musical theatre, whereas Gerard Butler bombed big time as The Phantom. I’ve also got money on Jackman throwing around some song-and-dance numbers as host of the 2009 Oscar ceremony, so perhaps Andrew Lloyd Webber will be watching and plotting for The Phantom’s next incarnation. The only downside is that whichever hottie gets cast, half of their face will be covered.
Picture note by JayBird: Here’s Hugh Jackman playing with his family at Hudson River Park in New York City on Sunday. Images thanks to WENN.
I saw Jackman’s performance as Curly in “Oklahoma!” and he was REALLY, REALLY good. I would like to hear him sing the challenging stuff from “Phantom,” though I did like Gerard Butler, too.
But for stage? Definitely Jackman.
They’re not thinking of Emmy Rossum for Christine again, are they?
She was good for a 16-year-old, but should definitely not play Christine on stage. They need someone with a stronger voice and stage presence.
They should open it in Vegas. Just so I can go see it. 🙂
They’re both delicious, and IMO good at what they do.
i’m still stuck on the distateful idea of a sequel to the phantom of the opera.
I must admit I never saw POTO on stage, and barely remember a movie version. Hugh must play it. He’s the only big name hollywood actor who could pull it off– plus, I just love it when he moves and sings on stage! His Tony hosting duties were so funny!
Nice.
Anyone who wants a sequel to Phantom of the Opera- please shoot yourself.
Heh. I thought this was about the comic book and movie The Phantom, which they are also remaking or sequelising or something. Huge Ackman would make a fabulous Ghost Who Walks.
Sounds like Frederick Forsyth’s Phantom of Manhattan–I’ve never read it, but there are similarities based on what I remember of the book jacket.
Anyone’s better than Michael Crawford.
Gerard Butler was a fucking disaster as the Phantom in the movie, and I cannot believe his name is even being mentioned for this kind of role. Then again, sequels are a dangerous direction to go in. Of the two mentioned, Jackman is the best and obvious choice for this role. I hope he gets it, otherwise Butler will surely destroy Lloyd Webber’s masterpiece.
great!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m not really sure that having a sequel to PotO is a good idea. But it’s up to Andrew, though. I would still see it. However, I prefer them making a new re-make of the movie with Hugh as the Phantom instead of Gerard.
What should we do about the decline of language? There are many teachers who love Orwell. A few, myself included, teach students the essay Politics and the English Language, along with books about the use of language like A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, as part of our courses. Organizing teachers into a corps of language clarity demanders would be a good first step.
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Jackman has a better voice, but is too clean for the Phantom. All along I’ve felt that the Phantom should have a rugged “unclean” voice, like Gerards. I thought he was perfect in the role! Jackman’s voice would do better as Raoul. That’s my opinion.