The Phantom may have been a box office failure but the film, which adapted Lee Falk’s comic strip, went onto develop a cult following.

It received a new DVD printing from Paramount Home Entertainment in August 2024. Unfortunately, the release does not come with any bonus features.

The Phantom piqued my interest because Billy Zane is the titular star of the film. Ultimately, I was not a fan as it struggled to both keep my attention and keep me awake. This obviously isn’t the case for everyone, seeing as how it become a cult favorite. It’s interesting to note that its box office fate was similar to other adaptations of pulp material, including a personal favorite, The Rocketeer.

Zane had signed on for two original sequels but not even developing a cult following was enough to get either sequel in development. Instead, there were attempts at rebooting the franchise. One of those attempts had fallen through as 2014 and Paramount turned elsewhere in their attempts. Seeing as how there has been no updates during the past 11 years, it is rather safe to assume that the latter attempts at a reboot has also fallen through.

Synopsis

BILLY ZANE stars as THE PHANTOM in this thrill-a-minute actioner based on one of the most successful comic series of all time! The story begins as an expedition lands on the island of Bengalla, seeking the legendary skulls of Touganda. Believed to harness an energy force of immeasurable power, the skulls could spell disaster for mankind. And that’s exactly what ruthless tycoon Xander Drax (TREAT WILLIAMS) has in mind unless one man can save it.

DIRECTOR: Simon Wincer
SCREENWRITER: Jeffrey Boam
CAST: Billy Zane, Treat Williams, Kristy Swanson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, James Remar, and Patrick McGoohan

Paramount Pictures released The Phantom in theaters on June 7, 1996.

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