After nearly a century, a character widely considered to be the first ever costumed, crime-fighting superhero is all set to make a triumphant return to live-action. Beating the best-known superhero icon, Superman, by two years, The Phantom started out as the lead of an action adventure comic strip, first published by Lee Falk way, way back in the before times of 1936. Now, having continued to be adapted in animation, live-action, and more over the many, many years since, it’s time for The Man Who Cannot Die to live once again. As per a report by Variety, a live-action series based on The Phantom is now in the works from producer, director, and writer Reginald Hudlin, whose best-known credits include Sidney, Marshall, and Django Unchained. Hudlin will both direct and produce the new superhero TV series, which is now officially in early development at the Hearst-owned King Features.
“The development of a live-action series for the iconic comic strip ‘The Phantom’ marks a pivotal expansion to meet the current cultural zeitgeist for this brand,” King Features president C.J. Kettler said in a statement. “By partnering with award-nominated director Reginald Hudlin, who possesses a deep reverence for the comic industry and source material itself, we are confident this adaptation will meet the high expectations of both longtime and new fans globally.”
The Phantom, who goes by several names, most famously “The Ghost Who Walks,” is a crime-fighter who operates in the fictional African country of Bangalla. Possessing no superhuman powers, and relying solely on his own strength, intelligence, and skill (the character was a major influence on another comic book icon, Batman), The Phantom is surrounded in myth, with many believing him immortal. In actual fact, The Phantom is a mantle passed down from father to son, with each iteration keeping the myth alive.

Mad Cave Comics

The first man to don the skintight purple suit and signet ring was Christopher Walker, who became the costumed hero after being stranded Bangalla following an attack by pirates in the sixteenth century. Addressing the skull of his murdered father, he swore an oath to “devote my life to the destruction of piracy, greed, cruelty and injustice! And my sons, and their sons, shall follow me!” The character has had a major influence on the genre, kick-starting popular tropes like secret identities, hideouts, skintight costumes, masks, and even the white-eyed look now sported by the likes of Batman, Daredevil, and many more. The Phantom has evolved since, with a new comic series being launched by Mad Cave Comics in 2025, with Hearst also revealing that the franchise will have “a significant immersive location-based entertainment experience, set to be announced later this year,” alongside the TV series. Meanwhile, the last audiences saw of The Phantom in live-action was in a largely unknown miniseries back in 2009, with the most famous (or, infamous) instance being the critically panned 1996 effort starring Billy Zane as the titular superhero.

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Not only does Reginald Hudlin have several major film and TV credits to his name, but he also has vast experience in the comic book world, having written for Marvel Comics and becoming the co-owner of comic book company Milestone Media, which owns the superhero Static Shock. Who better then to bring The Phantom back for the modern age?

Release Date

June 6, 1996

Runtime

100 minutes

Director

Simon Wincer