A live-action TV show based on The Phantom is now in the works from the producer of Django Unchained.
What do we know about The Phantom TV show?
According to Variety, filmmaker Reginald Hudlin is developing a live-action TV series about The Phantom. Based on Lee Falk’s comic strip, Hudlin will direct and produce the show for King Features.
“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 told Variety. “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.”
First published in 1936, The Phantom is a costumed crimefighter who fought in Bangalla, a fictional African country. Also known as “The Ghost Who Walks,” The Phantom is viewed as the first costumed superhero. The Phantom comic strip is still running today.
Hudlin has previous experience working in comics. Besides co-owning comic book company Milestone Media, Hudlin wrote Black Panther issues for Marvel.
Hudlin is also an experienced filmmaker in film and television. Hudlin received an Academy Award nomination for producing Quentin Tarantino‘s Django Unchained. Hudlin’s directorial efforts include 1992’s Boomerang, 2022’s Sidney, and 2023’s Candy Cane Lane.
The Phantom has been adapted several times for movies and TV. One of the most notable adaptations was 1996’s The Phantom, a feature film starring Billy Zane as the titular character. The movie flopped at the box office but has since developed a cult following.
In 2014, Mark Gordon and Drew Simon teamed up to develop a Phantom movie. However, nothing ever came to fruition.
Noteworthy television appearances for The Phantom include a 1961 unaired pilot and the 1990s animated series Phantom 2040. Netflix had been rumored to be developing a Phantom TV show, but the streamer never announced official plans.
Originally reported by Dan Girolamo for SuperHeroHype.
