Variety reports that Wilson ? who recently starred as Curly in Trevor Nunn?s staging of Oklahoma! ? will play opera singer Christine Daaé?s boyfriend in the film of the Tony-winning musical. The role was created on the London stage and on Broadway by the late Steve Barton. Although the title role has yet been cast, those who have been mentioned for the role created onstage by Michael Crawford include Hugh Jackman, Nicolas Cage and current Nine star Antonio Banderas.
It?s a busy time for Wilson, who received Tony nominations for his work in Oklahoma! and The Full Monty. The young actor will also star in HBO?s six-hour adaptation of Tony Kushner?s Angels in America as well as the Disney historical drama ?The Alamo.? The industry paper reports that Wilson will play military commander William Travis in the latter.
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Joel Schumacher will direct the feature-film version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. Lloyd Webber recently bought the Phantom film rights back from Warner Bros.
About the upcoming movie, composer Lloyd Webber told screendaily.com, "I'm thrilled to have the rights back for the film version of Phantom and to have such a brilliant director on board. We now have the opportunity and the freedom to make the film that Joel and I have always talked about making." Filming is to begin next autumn in the United Kingdom. Based on the classic Gaston Leroux novel, The Phantom of the Opera features music by Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart and additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. Harold Prince directed both the London and New York premieres. The New York production ? originally starring Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman ? won six 1988 Tony Awards including one for Best Musical. The score includes such tunes as "Think of Me," "The Music of the Night," "All I Ask of You," "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again," "The Point of No Return" and the title tune. Howard McGillin currently heads the Broadway company as the disfigured Phantom who falls in love with a naive chorus girl, Christine Daae.
