The Hollywood Reporter

'Butler gauging 'Phantom' role
April 29, 2003

He's not yet a household face, but Scottish-born actor Gerard Butler has been offered the starring role as the man behind the mask in helmer Joel Schumacher and Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical feature "The Phantom of the Opera." Butler, who most recently appeared in "Reign of Fire," has not decided whether to take the role because he is fielding other offers, among them Crusader Entertainment's "The Game of Their Lives." Meanwhile, Anne Hathaway ("The Princess Diaries") and Emmy Rossum ("Passionada") have emerged as the top choices to play "Phantom's" female lead, Christine. Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group is producing the project, which goes into production in October. A domestic distributor has yet to come on board. Butler, repped by CAA, Jane Brand of ICM London and manager Alan Siegel, next stars in Paramount Pictures' "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life" and "Timeline." (Zorianna Kit)