Yes, the High School Musical director is remaking Phantom of the Opera for Disney

Disney really loves remakes these days. The studio once hailed for its original material has become a remake/reboot factory, whether it be with acquired properties or titles they originated decades ago. The latest property to get the Disney remake treatment is Phantom of the Opera, the iconic Gaston Leroux novel.

Deadline reported that Disney will be turning the novel into a YA story, in an attempt to modernize it for younger viewers. The hope is that the film connects with viewers and is able to be spun into a full on franchise with multiple parts.

Kenny Ortega will direct a 'YA' version of the novel

To the studio's credit, they hired the right director. Kenny Ortega has been a reliable director for Disney dating back to Hocus Pocus in 1993. His biggest claim to fame, however, is helming the High School Musical trilogy in the 2000s.

The franchise is YA catnip, and proved so successful with multiple generations that it's still getting spinoff shows on Disney Plus today. Ortega knows how to translate musical material to young fans, so if anybody is going to be able to pull off YA Phantom of the Opera, it's him. Ortega is also the man behind the first three Descendants films, which is another YA franchise that continues to do well for Disney.

Disney wants to turn Phantom into a franchise

The last notable film adaptation of Phantom of the Opera was in 2004. Joel Schumacher adapted Andrew Lloyd Weber's beloved stage adaptation (a lot of adapting, we know), and the film did well at the box office, netting $154 million on a $70 million budget. Gerard Butler, of all people, played the titular Phantom.

There's no news yet on the casting of the new film. Deadline has confirmed, however, that Ortega will direct and executive produce under his banner The KO Company. Giovanni M. Porta has been picked to write the screenplay, fresh off his work on the romantic comedy At Midnight (2023).