The company LW Entertainmentformerly known as Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Really Useful Group, announced last Wednesday a collaboration with Qubic Pictures and its founder Justin Leachrecognized for his work as co-executive producer on the anthology Star Wars: Visions and as showrunner of the animes Eden and Leviathan. The objective of this alliance is to explore the development of a anime adaptation from the acclaimed musical The Phantom of the Opera by Lloyd Webber.
This project is part of a series of new productions for film and television inspired by both The Phantom of the Opera as in other works by Lloyd Webber.
Bridge of musical theater and Japanese animation
Justin Leach expressed his enthusiasm for the challenge: “It is a unique opportunity to unite the greatness of musical theater with the art of Japanese animation. We want to create a timeless and emotionally powerful experience that resonates around the world, paying tribute to the legacy of this iconic story.”
The Phantom of the Opera debuted in West End in London in 1986 and on Broadway in 1988, becoming one of the most awarded musicals in history. The plot follows Christine Daae and the enigmatic Ghost that lives under the Paris Opera. The work is based on the novel of the same name by Gaston Lerouxoriginally published as a serial between 1909 and 1910. In 2010, the musical received a sequel titled Love Never Diespremiered in the West End.
Qubic Pictures' legacy in animation
Qubic Pictures, in collaboration with Studio Orange, released the anime Leviathan in Netflix last July 10. Additionally, the company worked alongside Disney and Lucasfilm on the successful anthology Star Wars: Visionswhose first installment, made up of nine shorts created by Japanese studios such as Trigger, Kinema Citrus and Production IG, was released in September 2021 on Disney+.
The second season, released on May 4, 2023, incorporated studios from around the world, and a Volume 3 for next year, with the participation of ANIMA, david production, Polygon Pictures, Project Studio Q and Wit Studio.
