Disney+ Is Going To Mess Up Phantom Of The Opera Next
Like most streaming services, Disney+ has had its fair share of disappointing or downright horrible original movies to go along with its occasional hit, such as Togo, which earned rave reviews for its touching story and endearing performances. Among the worst of the worst from Disney+ was the Adam Levine-led film Magic Camp, which was so bad that it has now magically disappeared from the content library, likely to never be seen or heard from again. For Disney’s next trick, it will attempt to take on a brand new interpretation of the classic The Phantom of the Opera tale with the young adult Disney+ original film, Phantom.
Kenny Ortega’s Involvement With Phantom
The Phantom of the Opera reboot will be produced by Disney Branded Entertainment in partnership with Kenny Ortega, who will serve as the film’s director as well as executive producer. The film will also be produced by Exile Content Studio, a multi-media production company that specializes in creating content for Spanish-speaking communities. Exile is credited with bringing the project to Disney Branded Entertainment.
Still In The Early Development Phases
Penning the spec script for Disney’s Phantom of the Opera reboot was the relative screenwriting newcomer, Giovanni M. Porta, who wrote the Paramount+ original movie At Midnight. The screenplay is based on a story by Porta and producer Eric Bromberg. According to Deadline, development of the Disney Phantom of the Opera film is still in its early stages, but there is hope that the movie can turn into a franchise staple for years to come, similar to High School Musical.
Ortega’s Past Musical Outings
Ortega is certainly no stranger to the Disney brand. Since first making a name for himself as music video director in the 1980s, Ortega has had a hand in developing some of Disney’s most popular young adult franchises over the last 20 years, including directing High School Musical and Descendants. Ortega has also created and choreographed concerts for Disney such as High School Musical: The Concert and Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Tour.
Hopefully Channeling Julie And The Phantoms Energy
Ortega’s return to Disney follows the conclusion of the five-year contract that he had signed with Netflix in 2019 to develop original content for the streaming giant. However, after five years, Ortega’s only credit for Netflix was executive producing the aptly named musical comedy Julie and the Phantoms, which despite earning excellent reviews from critics, was cancelled after just one season in 2021. Disney will hope that Ortega can bring his vision and history of creating showstopping musicals to its The Phantom of the Opera film to secure a much-needed hit for a Disney+ original film.
A Modern Twist On A Timeless Classic
While plot details for Phantom remain under wraps, it can be expected that Disney will put its own twist on the classic The Phantom of the Opera story, which is originally set in the Palais Garnier Opera House in Paris and has been believed to be haunted for years.
Young and little-known soprano, Christine Daaé, is called upon to sing at the opera house, only to catch the attention of Erik, a mysterious and disfigured musical prodigy who takes shelter underneath the opera house. After becoming obsessed with the young singer, Erik does whatever it takes to win her heart.
Source: Deadline
