According to Variety, a live-action TV series based on The Phantom comic strip by Lee Falk is in the works. House Party director Reginald Hudlin will direct and produce the series, which is in development at King Features.
Who is The Phantom?
The Phantom comic strip was first published by Lee Falk in 1936. The character is a costumed crime-fighter who operates from the fictional African country of Bangalla. Also known as The Ghost Who Walks, many believe him to be an immortal guardian, but in reality, The Phantom is passed down through generations, with each person adopting the same persona. He was also one of the first costumed superheroes in comics, arriving before Superman, Batman, and Captain America.
Falk continued writing the comic strip until his death in 1999. Others took over, and the strip is still going.
“The development of a live-action series for the iconic comic strip ‘The Phantom’ marks a pivotal expansion to meet the current cultural zeitgeist for this brand,” King Features president C.J. Kettler said in a statement. “By partnering with award-nominated director Reginald Hudlin, who possesses a deep reverence for the comic industry and source material itself, we are confident this adaptation will meet the high expectations of both longtime and new fans globally.“
The Phantom Movie
The Phantom got the big screen treatment in 1996, with Billy Zane playing the title role. It was a box-office disappointment but has become something of a cult favourite in the years since its release. The film has even received a 4K release from Kino Lorber.
Zane considers the role one of his favourites, even though it received mixed reviews. “It got a lot of stick early on because it wasn’t edgy at a time when all those movies were going dark,” he said. “I’ve always held a torch for what I saw as a dying genre, which was adventure. I was raised on adventure, and I think it’s so easily overlooked as how critical it is to young boys and girls.“
Are you down for a TV series based on The Phantom?
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