Endangered species found in Central Calif. "When (Butler) talked to me about the role, he was so emotional about the loneliness, the disconnectedness (of the phantom)," Schumacher says. The director is known for discovering actors - he cast an unknown Colin Farrell in "Tigerland." Louis multiplex in a forgettable film called "Dracula 2000," but liked what he saw. Schumacher first caught Butler's act at a St. I wanted to hear (the phantom's) life story in every note." "I knew the voice was my main means of communication, so I wanted to become technically as good as I could and then forget about it. "I sang for fun in a rock band," he says, "and that's about as good as it gets."Īfter a series of vocal lessons, he auditioned for Lloyd Webber at the composer's London home, accompanied by a piano and a bad case of nerves. Although this is a heavy-duty singing part, he is not a trained vocalist. Not a problem for Wilson and Rossum: He's performed in musicals on Broadway ("The Full Monty") she appeared with the Metropolitan Opera at age 7 (she's now 18).īutler, on the other hand, needed to prove himself. Schumacher says he made a deal with Lloyd Webber in 2000, agreeing that the three leads needed to be played by young actors (which precluded Crawford, now 62, and Brightman, now 44), and that the actors would sing in their own voices. Lloyd Webber and Schumacher originally were going to make the film in 1990 with Crawford and Brightman, but the project was shelved when Lloyd Webber's collaborators protested that a film would harm the show's touring companies. Songs such as "Music of the Night" became the era's aural wallpaper. It made stars of Michael Crawford (as the phantom) and Sarah Brightman (as Christine). "The Phantom of the Opera" went on to become the highest grossing theatrical production in history, earning more than $3 billion. This scenario, directed and co-written by Joel Schumacher ("Batman Forever," "The Client"), more or less follows Lloyd Webber's show, which was based on Gaston Leroux's 1911 novel and opened in London in 1986. He's somebody who is in the prime of his life, who wants a partner and some good sex. Whereas here there's more physical attraction. "I think it also makes more sense than the stage version, because there it's more abracadabra and she's under his power. "Yeah, it's sexed up," Butler, 35, says of the finished film. He's the kind of guy girls are always warned about but can't seem to resist. But he is a bit bland, like an anchorman, while the phantom exudes a dangerous sexuality. It might seem like an easy choice for her, because the phantom is disfigured inside and out while Raoul is a rich dreamboat. 
However, Christine is torn between the phantom and Raoul ( Patrick Wilson), a childhood friend who has become the opera's benefactor.
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