Broadway fans are getting the anime treatment they never saw coming.
LW Entertainment, formerly known as The Really Useful Group, has announced that the company has partnered with Justin Leach of Qubic Pictures to “explore opportunities for a new ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ anime.”
This new project is part of the strengthened efforts of the company to venture into other forms of media for acclaimed composer Andrew Lloyd Webber's musicals.
Justin Leach is known for being the Co-Executive Producer of “Star Wars: Visions”, as well as being the showrunner for the Netflix anime “Leviathan”, while Qubic Pictures is an animation production company that works with leading creators and studios across Japan, North America, and Europe.
“The Phantom of the Opera” anime details and other information
Besides the confirmation of the anime, no other details have been divulged so far, although we can expect more information in the coming months.
However, Leach did a release a statement regarding the collaboration, saying:
“I’m incredibly excited to join forces with the talented team at LW Entertainment to bring The Phantom of the Opera to life through anime. This project is a rare opportunity to unite the grandeur of musical theatre with the artistry of Japanese animation - two beloved traditions that have touched audiences around the world. Our goal is to create a timeless and emotionally resonant experience that speaks to a global audience and honors the legacy of this iconic story.“
“The Phantom of the Opera” is a 1986 musical adaptation of the 1910 novel by French author Gaston Leroux. Andrew Lloyd Webber composed the music, while Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe wrote the lyrics. It follows the tragic tale of a young ballerina turned opera soprano named Christine Daae, who becomes the subject of an intense and deadly obsession by a mysterious and disfigured musical genius living beneath the Paris Opera House, who is simply known as the ‘Phantom’. Christine struggles with the burden of the Phantom's dangerous love, and seeks to free herself from his clutches with the aid of her childhood friend and lover, Raoul.
The musical premiered in October 1986 at Her Majesty’s Theatre in West End, London, and later on debuted on Broadway in 1988. The musical is known as the longest running show in Broadway history, even celebrating its 10,000th show in February 2012. It is also the second-longest West End musical right behind Les Miserables. The musical would later on receive a film adaptation in 2004.
The musical won a number of awards during its first few years, having garnered the 1986 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical, the 1986 Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best New Musical, the 1988 Tony Award for Best Musical, and the 1988 Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Broadway Musical.
