By Susan Wloszczyna, USA TODAY
March 24, 2003

As Chicago basks in its Oscar win, other musicals are getting closer to movie screens.

Miramax chief Harvey Weinstein says a movie remake of Guys and Dolls will be out in two years from the producers of Chicago. And The Music of the Night will soon see the light of day.

The film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's lush Broadway smash Phantom of the Opera has been in the works for ages, with such stars as Antonio Banderas and John Travolta mentioned to play the masked madman who haunts a Paris opera house.

Director Joel Schumacher (Batman Forever, the upcoming Phone Booth) was tapped by Lloyd Webber 13 years ago to oversee the movie. He plans to start shooting in London in October for release in Christmas 2004.

With the production designer, costume designer, musical director and conductor hired, Shumacher says, "Now I can start casting."

He would like the romantic leads to be in their 20s, and also wants to go younger for the Phantom, which means fortysomethings like Banderas and Travolta are out.

"The Phantom has to be limber enough to fly around the stage," he says. A big name would be a plus.

Chicago aside, Schumacher isn't so sure that the musical is back.

The Phantom of the Opera promises repeat-viewing from its popular stage incarnation and that fabulous crashing chandelier.

But the last Lloyd Webber film adaptation, Evita in 1996, grossed a so-so $50 million.

What did Schumacher think of that video-style Madonna vehicle? He answers diplomatically: "Next question."

Contributing: Claudia Puig