The Phantom (Syfy)

[KryptonSite]

Some details of a new Phantom TV series for the SciFi Channel, from Newsarama. It's an old article but pretty relevant as they'll be casting soon:

http://www.newsarama.com/tv/080729-PhantomSciFi.html

As costumed crusaders become further entrenched in mainstream entertainment, Sci-Fi Network is hoping to update one of the oldest comic heroes, The Phantom, for television.

Created even before Superman in comic strips of the '30s, the Phantom is being translated for TV by screenwriters Daniel Knauf (of HBO's Carnivale) and his son, Charles Knauf. The writers said they've turned in a script for a four-hour Phantom movie that is waiting to be greenlit, with the hopes of an eventual series for Sci-Fi.

"Sci-Fi's saying, you know, let's take another look at this Phantom guy," Daniel Knauf told Newsarama during this weekend's San Diego Comic-Con. "A lot of people are responding to superheroes, obviously. Just look at Comic-Con. And Phantom was one of the first costumed superheroes. He's a little bit more hardcore than other superheroes in that he packs guns and has martial arts training to kill, military style."

While this is their first co-venture into television, the two have been co-writing costumed heroes for Marvel Comics for the last two years, including Iron Man and the Eternals. In the case of the Phantom, however, the Knaufs said they had to create a more modern version of the pulp hero.

"We upgraded everything so that it's a modern-day Phantom," Charles Knauf said. "In the tradition of the Phantom, it's going to be a great adventure story. It's going to be action and car chases. He's still got a purple costume, but we upgraded it. We made it tougher. And he's got both rings, and they mark you, just like the original story. But we're updating everything to make it more modern."

The Phantom, which has been published in various comic formats since it was created by Lee Falk in 1936, is the story of the legendary "Ghost Who Walks," the hero who protects the innocent with the help of his Jungle Patrol in the fictional country of Bangalla. A character who has been the subject of TV shows and movies in the past, the Phantom character is seen as immortal by the people of Bangalla because the mantle has been passed down through generations since the 16th Century, with each son replacing his father.

"In our story, we have a break in the lineage. The 22nd Phantom, the one we all know and love, his wife and his son died in an automobile accident. So when he died, there was no one to take over," Daniel Knauf explained. "But it turns out the son survived and has been raised by a foster family and has no idea who he is. They find him through a fluke when he's arrested on a trespassing charge, and he ends up getting his DNA into CODIS [the national DNA database]. The people in Bangalla who are still part of the Jungle Patrol -- which we call Bpaa-Thap (which literally translates to 'Jungle Patrol') -- they find him and decide to bring him in and train him. So it's a whole new game for this kid. So he's very conflicted, as far as who he was and who he thinks he is."

The villain from the Phantom comics, the "Singh Brotherhood" that killed the first Phantom's father, have also been updated for TV. "They've evolved into this huge corporate entity. After the death of the 22nd Phantom, which takes place 14 years before our story, that gap without a Phantom led to everything horrible that's happening today. It's the Singh Brotherhood behind it," Daniel Knauf explained. "Their whole thing is that if they can keep people at war, they'll make money. They're fomenting distrust between various nations and factions, and just making sure that there are always bad things happening. But our lead bad guy is Raatib Singh, and he's a corporate animal."

"You'll see something deeper to him that makes him much more twisted than your average corporate bad guy," Charles Knauf added. "Like when somebody gets into an argument with him, instead of doing something like spreading rumors about him sleeping with another guy's wife, he'll shoot him in the face. He's a really twisted character. He's a psychopath."

Daniel Knauf said he originally thought he wouldn't have the time to dedicate to the Phantom, but working with his son lightened the load. Knauf is working on an HBO "mockudrama" series called Honey Vicarro, a four-hour movie for ABC about the end of the world called Exodus, and the feature film, House of Cain for Will Smith. So at first, he turned down the opportunity to write The Phantom for Sci-Fi.

"I passed. I was booked. I was completely booked," he said. "And then Charlie comes home and sees this outline sheet about The Phantom on my desk. And he said, 'Oh, you have to do this. You're doing this.'"

"I walked in and I saw the sheet, and I said, 'Is this the Phantom I know and love?'" said Charles Knauf, who grew up reading Phantom comics. "And it was indeed The Phantom. And I said you have to do this! This is great!"

The Knaufs said what attracted them most to the project was that the Phantom is one of the pulp fiction "mystery men" from the '30s like the Shadow and Sandman, so he doesn't necessarily play by the same rules as other superheroes. "He's a straight-up pulp hero. This was before everyone was copying Superman and Captain Marvel. The Phantom was a much earlier character," Charles Knauf said.

"You know what sold me? Charlie said he carries twin 1911's [Colt pistols]. I said, he carries guns? He said, yeah. I said, oh, well, we're doing it. He kills people," Daniel Knauf said. "And we updated the guns. We actually have them chambered for .44 Magnum bullets."

"But it's also pure superhero because there is good and there is bad. This isn't an anti-hero. It's black and white for him. This is the Phantom, and he does what's right," Charles Knauf added. "I think part of why Sci-Fi is interested in the Phantom is the success of the Batman franchise. You don't necessarily have to have someone with superpowers; you just have to have someone who's heroic."

Daniel Knauf agreed that the Phantom is first and foremost a hero, but he said the story is also one of revenge. "I think, in a sense, that what [the Phantom's story] speaks to is that it's a confusing time to live. What we're kind of saying with this is maybe it's time for somebody who has a clear idea of what's right and what's wrong," he said. "And the Phantom has always been, and in our script it very much is, a revenge drama. It's about a victim of crime. Back in the 16th Century, the Phantom's father is murdered by pirates, and he thinks, you know what? I don't want anybody else to feel the way I do right now. And so I'm going to make sure this never happens to anybody again. And really, our character goes through what I would say is a worse situation. We have a line in it that says, 'This isn't about revenge. It's about justice.' And the Phantom says, 'Revenge IS justice.' And so it's got a darkness around the edges."

For now, the Knaufs are waiting for the project to be greenlit because they just turned in the first draft of the script. "We haven't gotten our first set of notes yet. It's still got a long way to go upstream. I kind of equate it to a salmon, and you hope this one spawns," Daniel Knauf said with a laugh. "We're hoping this one makes it, because we're in love with it. It's a very, very cool project."

[Mars Investigations]

Sounds interesting...

[krpto]

Any chance if this show takes off of us getting a PhantomSite?

[KryptonSite]

I'm not sure. I'm a little scared with it being a SciFi Channel show that it could turn out to be like Flash Gordon. That would be really disappointing. I think this is one where I'd have to see footage first.

Is SciFi really making shows as good as BSG was anymore? Aside from BSG/Caprica that is...

[KryptonSite]

More details from The Hollywood Reporter:

Sci Fi sets up three RHI miniseries
Trio includes 'Wonderland' retelling, new 'Phantom' take

By James Hibberd

March 22, 2009, 11:00 PM ET

Sci Fi has greenlighted a trio of miniseries fantasy projects, including two that will serve as potential series pilots, and two of which are based on classic titles.

The network has ordered a retelling of "Alice in Wonderland"; a fresh take on the comic-book hero "The Phantom"; and "Riverworld," from a series of fantasy books by Philip Jose Farmer. All the projects are four-hour movies from prolific production company RHI Entertainment.

"Riverworld," about a photojournalist transported to a mysterious world occupied by everyone who has ever lived on Earth, and "Phantom" will air as backdoor pilots -- titles under consideration for a series order contingent on drawing a large enough audience. It's the programming model the network has used with success before, as in the case of "Battlestar Galactica."

"The four-hour format allows us to command large dollars around the world for our shows that puts about ($4 million-$6 million) of production on the screen per hour," said Robert Halmi Jr., president and CEO of RHI entertainment. "It gives the network a chance to try a concept with the same production values, if not better, than you'd get for a series."

The new "Alice" promises to be different than previous incarnations (more than a few of which were produced by RHI). The project is written and directed by Nick Willing, who also did Sci Fi's highly rated "Wizard of Oz" revamp "Tin Man."

"We thought 'Alice' was the perfectly underlying material to tell a classic story with a modern twist," Halmi said. "We'll have new incredible worlds and a more grown-up feel."

Sci Fi Channel executive vp original programming Mark Stern pointed out that weaknesses in the original "Alice" story, which often was more about the passing scenery than character development, allow for more leeway and modernization than most fantasy tales.

"Lewis Carroll was more concerned about politics and satire then telling a mythological story," Stern said. "You're not really engaged with Alice in a proactive and emotionally fulfilling way."

"Phantom" has been adapted a few times without much success, but Halmi said the previous stumbles are a good reason to try again.

"That there hasn't been a successful 'Phantom' leaves the door wide open for us, since nobody has made it their own yet," Halmi said.

Sci Fi appreciates that the crusader doesn't have superpowers and is more in the grounded vein of Iron Man and Batman. "It's not a guy in purple tights," Stern said.

"Riverworld" could have the most series potential if producers pull off the novel's tricky combination mixing a modern protagonist with reborn historical figures.

" 'Riverworld' has a little bit of everybody's' idea of heaven and everybody's hell," Halmi said of the setting.

Characters in the story's world will be portrayed by actors in their 20s, so somebody like Napoleon wouldn't be "a balding man with his hand in his coat."

"Part of the fun of this is the reveal of who each character is," Stern said.

"Alice" is planned for the winter, "Riverworld" and "Phantom" coming next year. RHI also is doing "Meteor" and "The Storm" for NBC in the summer. The Sci Fi backdoor pilots are part of RHI's effort to expand from movies to series programming.

"They're one of the few production companies that are still doing longform and really doing it well," Stern said. "They have an economic model that most of us are mystified about, the way they're able to fund their shows and make a deal very attractive for us."

[KryptonSite]

Ryan Carnes will be playing The Phantom! Decent casting choice, though last I saw him he had a pig nose on Doctor Who.

[KryptonSite]

Character designs! http://scifiwire.com/2009/04/get-a-s...k-at-the-t.php

[KryptonSite]

And here's a trailer:



I'm not sure what to make of it so far. Some of the acting seems a little flat (though it could be the editing) and the new "costume" is really silly. He shouldn't have scoffed at the real one.

What does everyone else think?

[RobMcC]

Would you wear that costume lol in this day and age ??

[KryptonSite]

If I had to choose between that and the weird thing he ends up wearing.... yes.

[nicmar]

Yeah when I heard about this I was sort of excited I remember the cartoon from when I was a kid and I do read a lot of comics so I knew who the Phantom was but this just looks cheesey. Sci fi's record with original series is very hit or miss for every Battlestar there is a show that fails. Also their record with hero's of this type is bad need I point out the horrible Flash Gordon series. The new costume looks like a purple Snake Eyes or a guy were in purple hoodie depending on the angle. The Phantom works best as a pulp hero and I honstly think the only way the charcter works is as a period peice.

[KryptonSite]

I actually really like the "legacy" concept of the Phantom, and it's been enough to get me to pick up the comics from Moonstone from time to time. I think the character has great untapped potential... though I also think there's a part of me that's afraid that this is going to be another Flash Gordon.

(Although, oddly enough, Flash Gordon did well enough to merit a subforum here at KryptonSite, so it was pretty popular around here)

[nicmar]

Originally Posted by KryptonSite

I actually really like the "legacy" concept of the Phantom, and it's been enough to get me to pick up the comics from Moonstone from time to time. I think the character has great untapped potential... though I also think there's a part of me that's afraid that this is going to be another Flash Gordon.

(Although, oddly enough, Flash Gordon did well enough to merit a subforum here at KryptonSite, so it was pretty popular around here)

I like that aspect of the charcter I always have the fact that therw has always been and in theory always will be a phantom is definatly cool and a strength of the charcter. However what was shown in the trailer is a long way from "the ghost who walks." Also popularity does not equal quality. The new Knightrider had a section here and it was maybe the worst scripted show in a while. I make no judgements becasue I saw the pilot and did not watch after that so I can't comment personaly

By the way how are the moonstone comics I have yet to read them?

[KryptonSite]

The Moonstone comics are hit or miss. Some are great but I almost feel like they're better to wait for a trade paperback.

There are some elements of Phantom history that confuse me. Like are they all named Kit Walker? It seems also like his love interest always seemed to have the same name across incarnations, so I'm not entirely sure of the chronology.

To be honest my primary association with the Phantom came from the Defenders of the Earth cartoon, where I don't even remember seeing him without his mask on.

The Knight Rider section had been mostly in response to the huge response the TV movie had. In retrospect I wonder if it was because it aired in the middle of a strike.

DC Comics also did a good Phantom series with writing by Mark Verheiden, later of Smallville, Heroes, and BSG. It's almost too bad Verheiden isn't working on this TV series.

[nicmar]

I don't think they are all named Kit Walker I just think that the Phantom that is most commonly written about has that name and when ever they do a modern version who is his son he has the same name. I the initial blurb that the Phantom from the 30's in the 22nd Phantome so it would be hard to beleive that they all have the same name. As far as his lover intrest I don't have a good answer for that I don't know if it's a thing like Hawkman and Hawkgirl were they are always reincarnated in different bodies and they find each other or thats just lazy writing

Speaking of DC and pulp heros they are bringing back Doc Savage so that will be cool a little off topic but still

[darkphoenix21]

Wasn't this attempted as a feature film staring Billy Zane in the lead? As soon as I saw the costume I thought of the film. And now thinking about Kristy Swanson was also in it...who was the original Buffy.

Movies becoming tv series seem to work...maybe this one will do the same.

[KryptonSite]

The comics came well before the movie with Billy Zane....

I never did see that movie, but I hear it's kind of cheesy fun.

[krpto]

Originally Posted by KryptonSite

The comics came well before the movie with Billy Zane....

I never did see that movie, but I hear it's kind of cheesy fun.

I've never even read the comic books heck if it wasn't for these boards I wouldn't know it was based on a comic book series. That said I loved the movie in fact it was one of the first dvd's I ever bought and the trailer for this new show makes the movie look great if it was cheezy then I have no idea how I would describe this new series though I'm sure I'll give it a chance.

[JRWolfe]

Agree,the new costume looks awful. Why do writers and producers always want to mess with a formula that works ? Phantom has been around for decades for a reason. BTW..actually liked the Billy Zane move.

[bonoferox]

The movie was great fun. Not a great movie, though. But I still enjoyed it and finally found the DVD last year. I was surprised I paid less than 20 for it with how rare it got.