High School Musical Director Aims for Teen Adaptation of Phantom of the Opera

High School Musical trilogy director Kenny Ortega is making a notable return to Disney with a young adult movie adaptation of the iconic Broadway play, The Phantom of the Opera.

After 20 years since its last mainstream adaptation, this classic is being revived and will be available on the family-friendly platform of Disney+.

While Gaston Leroux’s 1909 novel has inspired an acclaimed Broadway musical and a classic film, the upcoming adaptation will focus on a younger cast, offering a new perspective on the Beauty and the Beast-style love story.

Deadline reported that Disney+ has greenlit this young adult movie adaptation, which will be produced by Ortega’s own production studio, The KO Company.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N91AL8sAh9o

The Phantom of the Opera (2004) Official Trailer – Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum Movie HD (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N91AL8sAh9o)

Ortega is well-known for his work on Disney Channel’s biggest hit franchises, including High School Musical and Descendants, along with other beloved projects like Newsies, The Cheetah Girls, and Hocus Pocus.

Despite a solid partnership with Disney, Ortega opted to enter a five-year contract with Netflix, during which he produced the original series Julie and the Phantoms, though it was unfortunately canceled after just one season.

This new film marks Ortega’s return to Disney since 2019, and while details remain scarce, it’s suggested that his adaptation of Phantom has the potential to evolve into a franchise akin to The Descendants, should it succeed.

This will be the first time the romantic musical is targeted towards a younger audience, as previous adaptations have primarily dealt with its mature themes of isolation, murder, stalking, and obsession, which have traditionally appealed to adult viewers.

One of the most significant challenges that Disney and Ortega will encounter with this Gen Z adaptation is how to effectively weave the horror-centric elements into a version suitable for a general audience.

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