‘Phantoms’ Aplenty

The other week, we mentioned Fries Ent.’s “Phantom of the Mall,” which has a disfigured character haunting a shopping complex--the site of his former home. It’s a modern twist, of course, on Gaston Leroux’s “Phantom of the Opera,” the classic novel that has inspired umpteen films and plays since its publication in the U.S. in 1911.

But “Mall” has scary competition: There’s continuing talk that Andrew Lloyd Webber’s current stage musical hit of the same name will be screen-translated. In January, Cannon Entertainment will film a traditional retelling with Robert (Freddy Krueger) Englund. Also gearing up for an early 1989 shoot is Warner Bros.’ “Phantom,” set during the Nazi-occupation of France, by producer-director Wolfgang Petersen.

And sources at MCA inform us that its Universal Films is considering a “Phantom”-themed picture. The company obtained the rights to Leroux’s novel shortly after its publication.

Although the book has moved into the public domain in most of the world, MCA still owns film rights until 1993 in most countries of Western Europe due to copyright laws there. Which could mean that other “Phantom” projects won’t be seen in the affected countries for five years.

At Cannon, producer Harry Allan Towers said the company was negotiating to solve the problem. (Warners was not ready to discuss its position.)

A Fries spokesman said its lawyers feel their version is “not substantially similar” and therefore will not infringe on the copyright.

Meanwhile, producer Edward Pressman--who made a financial settlement with MCA back in 1974 so he could release his rock ‘n’ roll spoof, “The Phantom of the Paradise”--is readying a stage musical based on that film.

“Paul Williams has gone back to write some new songs,” Pressman said. “We feel that the success of the other ‘Phantom,’ will make it easier to finally put it on Broadway. After all, we have the rights to do it.”