Hugh Jackman Was Considered for Proposed Film of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Sequel

According to a post on the official PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Facebook page, 'Les Mis' star Hugh Jackman was among the top picks under consideration to star in a proposed film sequel to the classic Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. The site shares that the star was too busy filming his X-Men films to consider taking on the lead in the project.

A British film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical of the same name did hit theaters in 2004. Directed by Joel Schumacher, the film was also produced and co-written by Lloyd Webber and starred Gerard Butler in the title role, with Emmy Rossum as Christine Daaé, Patrick Wilson as Raoul, Miranda Richardson as Madame Giry, and Minnie Driver as Carlotta Giudicelli. While stars Rossum, Wilson, and Driver had singing experience, Butler had to receive musical training for the role. The film grossed $154 million worldwide, and received mixed reviews from critics.

Of course, a romantic musical stage sequel titled Love Never Dies was produced in 2010, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Glenn Slater with additional lyrics by Charles Hart, and book by Lloyd Webber and Ben Elton, with additional material by Slater and Frederick Forsyth. Set in 1907, the musical's Christine Daaé is invited to perform at Phantasma, a new attraction in Coney Island, by an anonymous impresario and, with her husband Raoul and son Gustave in tow, journeys to Brooklyn, unaware that it is the Phantom who has arranged her appearance in the popular beach resort.

The musical opened at the Adelphi Theatre in the West End in March of 2010. It was originally directed by Jack O'Brien and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, however the show closed for four days in November 2010 for substantial re-writes, which were overseen by Lloyd Webber, and it opened with new direction from Bill Kenwright.

While the original London production received mostly negative reviews, a subsequent Australian production featuring an entirely new design team and heavy revisions was generally better received. The planned Broadway production, which was to have opened simultaneously with the West End run, was delayed and then indefinitely postponed.