'Phantom of the Opera' Sequel Waiting in the Wings

Over the last five years, far fewer than 50% of all new wide-released films were sequels. If you think Broadway is immune to Hollywood's apparent lack of new ideas, sadly it looks like you're wrong.

Andrew Lloyd Webber has announced that a filmed version of Love Never Dies, the sequel to his hit Phantom of the Opera, will debut in America and eventually the staged version will likely make its way to the Great White Way.

"I think it will inevitably come, at some point," Webber said of the show, which was nearly universally panned when it debuted in London, causing it to close early. "The film that's being shown is something I'm very, very proud of. So in a way it doesn't really matter if it comes tomorrow or five years' time. But I'm sure it will."

Let's just say we won't be holding our breath. Why can't we get something fresh and new that won't ruin Phantom for us forever, instead? When theatre folk say, "The show must go on," we don't think this is what they mean.