The Phantom sequel sounds like such a joke...

[dramagirl487]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 12:48pm

I'm wondering if anyone has evidence to the contrary.

Very little is known about it, but from what i heard, The Phantom travels to coney island and is reunited with Christine. This sounds like the cheesy fanfiction that movie addicts were writing after watching the movie one time and thinking Gerard Butler was hot enough to merit more screen time.

I'm disappointed with Webber for this. I feel like its a ploy for money that will ruin the current 8,500 performances (after tonight!) that current Phantom musical has brought.

When i hear the plot, I get a horrible image of the phantom going through airport security and flying to Newark airport... Obviously, that won't be the case in the musical, but the plot already sounds unplausible.

I'm writing this post with the hope that someone can prove me wrong. I admit i know very little about the sequel and I am hoping someone knows more!


Updated On: 7/3/08 at 12:48 PM

[americanboy99]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 12:54pm

Yeah, I'm thinking it will be pretty craptacular.

[wicked_beast4]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 12:57pm

What is ALW thinking? Because all musical sequels have gone over sooooooo well.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 12:59pm

My thought is: "Why mess with a masterpiece?"

To echo Erik's own words to Christine: "WHY?! WHY?!"

[Eris0303]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 1:00pm

The book, The Phantom of Manhattan, isn't bad if you don't mind books that are written in "journal" or "letter" form. It's not a sequel to the original novel but rather the musical and it even references the monkey that plays "Masquerade". I read it in one sitting several years ago. My only issue with it was the fact that it answered the question of whether or not the Phantom and Christine actually had sex. But otherwise I'd suggest checking it out if you're looking for a quick "beach read".

But I can't see how it can turn into a musical.

[dramagirl487]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 1:07pm

from what I heard, the sequel will NOT be the book. I heard that fell through, they started writing it a while ago, but then ALW broke off and just started writing music for a sequel no one knows about

[Eris0303]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 1:11pm

Huh, I thought it had been announced for sure that the show would be "The Phantom of Manhattan". Weird.

[dramagirl487]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 1:12pm

My Mom and I had a huge laugh imagining the Phantom's plane ride to NYC.

We saw him going through security, with some irate security guard named "Christine" who was trying to get him to remove the mask and he just kept saying "Christine...why? WHY?"

Then we saw him going down the elevator to baggage claim in Newark airport singing the "Down once more to the dungeon of my black despair! Down we plunge to the prison of my mind!" part

then we thought of him trying to get a cab to Coney Island, accidently hailing one of those tourist horse and buggy rides.

LOL i feel like ALW won't even cover how the Phantom GOT to NY. I think the new sequel will just...begin there

[dramagirl487]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 1:13pm

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/116244.html

in the bottom of this article, it says it is no longer based on that book.

[philly03]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 1:26pm

"One of the reported titles of the new project was Phantom in Manhattan. Frederick Forsyth, who wrote a novel called "The Phantom of Manhattan," was reportedly working with Lloyd Webber on the sequel in its early stages, but that is no longer the case."

And Eris, I have to disagree with you. The book is pretty awful.

And from the quote above, it says "it's no longer the case. Forsyth, HIMSELF, pulled out of the project. He was the intended book writer (& "Additional lyrics by...").

It is based-off and titled "The Phantom of Manhattan". Lloyd Webber is doing this that way because as he said "should Phantom of the Opera ever close, or if one had not seen POTO, you could still follow the story line.

**Possible spoilers??**
And from what I've read of the book (gave up!), it's basically about the Phantom getting rich, having a sidekick, a theatre-building competition, which then turns to a singing competition (that the Phantom wants Christine to sing in). She has a child, and Raoul I believe is her husband. And Christine goes to Coney Island because she wants to go to a windup store thing and it's the only one in the area...to find the Masquerade monkey. Then the Phantom gets back with the mirrors in some fun-house with her and spooks her, and I think that's it.
**END SPOILERS SORT OF*

The characters that seem to be BIG in the book are The Phantom, Christine, Meg (who I think has been traveling with Christine), and Madame Giry, and another opera star I believe (not Carlotta I think).

I don't think it'll be to successful anyway...I can't seem to get the main plot. But Forsyth did write the book "in part with ALW" for a future musical (10 years ago they probably didn't think Phantom would be running!). The only thing this book has in common to my minimal knowledge of it are the characters & the masquerade monkey I know plays a huge part!

[Boy]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 1:30pm

Well its premiering in London so with all luck it will be so bad itll never even get here and we wont see it anyway. :)

[dramagirl487]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 1:33pm

it'd just be a waste of braincells. I'd rather ALW put his musical efforts into a NEW musical.

i feel like i might listen to the album recording of the sequel because I love Webber's music, but I could only listen to it if I completely seperated it from 'Phantom' and never knew the plot

I was mad enough at "Learn to be Lonely" being tacked on.

[Weez]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 1:37pm

And people wonder why I get so pissy about the state of new musicals in the West End! Between jukebox shows and crud like THIS, it's a wonder people on this side of the Atlantic even know what makes a good musical! Thank the lord for Broadway imports, 'cos I'd rather FILL the West End with them if *THIS* is the standard of new musical we have before us! *weeps*

(Can we get 'Betwixt!' into the West End? I really enjoyed that one. More like that pls! Kick out 'Buddy', it'd be lovely in the Duchess!)

Updated On: 7/3/08 at 01:37 PM

[philly03]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 1:43pm

"I was mad enough at "Learn to be Lonely" being tacked on."

The songs not actually so bad, not great either...but it was only played at the end credits of the movie anyway so why would it matter. They only did it so that Minnie Driver would be happy (probably) and of course to try to win another award.

And the original plans were to debut it in NYC, but I do believe those were trashed last summer. Also, original plans had hopes to DEBUT it before a Broadway transfer at the Met. Opera house, but I think those were trashed before Woman in White debuted in London actually, probably because it's way too big (1) & I'm sure he realized he would never get it. Oh well, looks like London first again.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 1:51pm

"(Can we get 'Betwixt!' into the West End? I really enjoyed that one. More like that pls! Kick out 'Buddy', it'd be lovely in the Duchess!)"


That is the most British thing I've read all day.

[dramagirl487]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 2:50pm

i HATED the message of Learn to be Lonely. I felt like it kinda killed the ending of the story.

Christine ends up that she wasn't afraid of his face but found the Phantom's true character to be the scary part. I thought just returning the ring without a word and leaving with Raul was an acceptable ending. Then all the sudden, this SONG that seems to be a kind of random message to the phantom, when at the end, he wasn't intended to get a message at all

i know it didn't mess up anything for most people but it bothered me for some reason.

[philly03]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 2:55pm

"i know it didn't mess up anything for most people but it bothered me for some reason."

That's because no one cared. It was played during the credits. I'm sure half of the people didn't make it past Masquerade.

I could see Lloyd Webber recycling it into this production though.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 3:34pm

It's not the greatest book ever written but I enjoyed it. Some people don't like the letter/journal form or the fact that the book is told by all different viewpoints. Meg's, Mme Giry, etc. But it's not the worst thing ever written.

[Adam Chris]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 3:51pm

I am curious to know if they will try to do something big in terms of the scenery - like the chandlier and staircase in the 1st one. If so, I wonder what it is.

[PhantomTango1]

Posted: 7/3/08 at 7:52pm

"I am curious to know if they will try to do something big in terms of the scenery - like the chandlier and staircase in the 1st one. If so, I wonder what it is."
It's going to be a giant mechanical evil clown face, which will serve as the entrance to Erik's Fun House.

[heathurrr]

Posted: 7/4/08 at 12:13am

"What is ALW thinking?"

Another long running show, no doubt! As silly as I (and others) believe this to be, ohhh boy will it sell.

[A Fleur De Toi]

Posted: 7/4/08 at 1:13am

"When i hear the plot, I get a horrible image of the phantom going through airport security and flying to Newark airport"


argh now that's an image burned into my retina forever. And seriously the coney island bit? CRASH AND BURN phantom2.

[GHOSTLIGHT2]

Posted: 7/4/08 at 8:46am

I hate to say it but this was a silly project from the very beginning.
One phrase came up repeatedly in the other posts : DON'T mess with a classic because a bad or poorly concieved sequel can dimminish the original.
That is good advice but the people with all the influence do not want to hear it.
There is an objective to make money by producers and directors it is not about art, it is about commerce.
When Martin Charnin announced that there would be a ANNIE sequel i remember thinking he was simply tapping into the movie industries tendency to never let a good premise go.
We all know what a mess it turned out to be - twice.
I am disapointed with Andrew Lloyd Webber because it shows a lack of imagination and creativity on his part, two traits you had to admit he had, he is playing it safe using what on the surface looks like a less risky project.

[Urban]

Posted: 7/4/08 at 11:28am

Well if it is any consulation, I properly will not blow as much steamy chunks as the epilogue to Harry Potter.

[philly03]

Posted: 7/4/08 at 12:25pm

"I am disapointed with Andrew Lloyd Webber because it shows a lack of imagination and creativity on his part, two traits you had to admit he had, he is playing it safe using what on the surface looks like a less risky project."

The last show that was ALW's own idea I think was WHISTLE DOWN THE WINDm 1994ish. I'm not sure on the Beautiful Game, but I think someone else gave him the idea, and if I'm not mistaken there was some kind of stupid contest to write to ALW for what he writes next...which was The Woman in White. And for the record, the Phantom of Manhattan was writen in 1999 for the sole purpose of being turned into a musical, with help with ALW in the book. Then I'm pretty sure he thought it was a crappy deal to do it and put it on hold...until now. For ALW fans who aren't necessarily theatre fans (people who go to see really only his shows but aren't technically Broadway fans?) there seemed to be a lot of interest, and still is!