Long before streaming became a thing and comics enjoyed dominance in Hollywood, there was Antonio Banderas. The actor’s breakout roles came way back in the early '90s, starring as Tom Hanks’ lover in the 1993 Oscar-winning drama Philadelphia before joining Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in the 1994 horror/romance Interview with a Vampire.
Since then, Banderas went on to land various lead roles in films such as Desperado, The Mask of Zorro, The Skin I Live In, The 13th Warrior, and Once Upon a Time in Mexico. He also pursued voice acting, portraying Puss in the Shrek movies. The actor has received an Oscar nod too. Over the years, however, Banderas has also lost out on some roles (like the one in The Mummy). Among them was a role in a hit film and reports have claimed that it was due to some box office flops that the actor suffered around the time that casting was underway.
Antonio Banderas Was Reportedly Considered For A Role In Phantom Of The Opera
Back in the early 2000s, Andrew Lloyd Webber had just successfully bought back the rights to The Phantom of the Opera from Warner Bros., and he intended to turn the musical into a feature film with director Joel Schumacher at the helm.
Soon as this was announced, several names came up for the role of the Phantom, and it was rumored that Banderas was a front-runner, along with John Travolta and Hugh Jackman. Back then, Banderas welcomed the possibility.
“If they need me or they think that I am the person to play that character on the big screen, I'll be there,” the actor even said back then. Banderas also revealed that he had been in touch with Webber for several years already and that he knew of the project.
“We have been in contact since the time that I did Evita (which Webber wrote songs for) talking about Phantom,” the actor said. “I was in London with him several times when Shekhar Kapur was attached to the project. Nothing happened. It was [left] in the hands of Warner Bros.”
Eventually, however, the role would go to Gerard Butler.
Banderas Supposedly Lost Out On The Role Due To Some Box Office Flops
Other actors may have been up for the Phantom part, just like Banderas. But it almost seemed like the role was going to the Spanish actor at one point. According to reports, it is believed that Schumacher considered someone else after Banderas’ films proved to be box office flops around that time.
During the early 2000s, Banderas was one busy man, starring in film after film, although a lot of them wouldn’t do well at the box office. For instance, his 2001 erotic thriller Original Sin with Angelina Jolie bombed gloriously, earning only $35.4 million against a reported production budget of $50 million. Unfortunately too, the box office slump didn’t stop there for Banderas.
The actor also went on to headline Brian De Palma’s 2002 film, Femme Fatale, with Rebecca Romjin but the film barely made money, reportedly earning just $16.8 million, which can’t even cover the movie’s estimated $35-million budget.
That same year, Banderas also starred alongside Lucy Liu in the action-crime Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever. The film also underperformed, earning only $20.2 million against a reported $70 million budget. Meanwhile, Banderas’ 2003 romantic drama, Imagining Argentina, with Emma Thompson made less than $400,000.
It is possible that Banderas lost the Phantom role due to these films. That said, Webber never commented on the issue with a spokeswoman only saying, “No casting decisions have been made at all.”
Did Antonio Banderas Ever Play The Phantom?
And while Banderas never got cast in Schumacher’s movie, the actor did get to play the Phantom (briefly) during Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Royal Albert Hall Celebration. Onstage, the actor performed The Phantom of the Opera with English soprano Sarah Brightman.
At the same time, Banderas also performed the songs Oh What a Circus and High Flying Adored from the film Evita.
Meanwhile, Banderas also teamed up with Webber more recently, putting up the joint production company Amigos Para Siempre (APS), which aims to produce musicals, stage plays, and live entertainment in major Spanish-speaking markets.
“Antonio Banderas not only forms part of entertainment royalty but is also one of the most versatile creative minds with whom I’ve have [sic] the pleasure of working. It’s really moving to associate with Antonio to present my work, as well as other brilliant Broadway and West End titles, in new markets,” Webber said in a statement.
“I can’t wait to work with Antonio to bring to the world Spanish-language productions of exceptional quality.”
At present, the company’s upcoming projects include Spanish versions of some of Webber’s most famous works. These include Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cinderella, Starlight Express, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, School of Rock, Sunset Boulevard, and of course, The Phantom of the Opera.
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