The Phantom of the Opera
Quick Summary
The 2004 film The Phantom of the Opera, directed by Joel Schumacher, is an adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's stage musical, which itself is based on Gaston Leroux's novel. The story centers on Christine Daaé, a young singer at the Paris Opéra, who is mentored by a mysterious music teacher known as the "Angel of Music". This teacher is actually the Phantom, a disfigured musical genius who lives beneath the opera house and develops a dangerous obsession with Christine.1
The Phantom manipulates the opera's affairs, sabotages Christine's rivals, and threatens her love interest, Raoul. The film's cast, including Gerard Butler as the Phantom and Emmy Rossum as Christine, primarily consisted of film and television actors, differing from the stage musical's original stars. The adaptation received mixed reviews, with some fans of the musical expressing disappointment over the casting. The story has been adapted numerous times, including earlier film versions in 1925 and 1962.12
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
