The Phantom (1996 film)

The Phantom
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySimon Wincer
Written byJeffrey Boam
Based onThe Phantom
by Lee Falk
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyDavid Burr
Edited by
Music byDavid Newman
Production
companies
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • June 7, 1996 (1996-06-07)
Running time
100 minutes
Countries
  • United States
  • Australia
LanguageEnglish
Budget$45-50 million
Box office$23.5 million

The Phantom is a 1996 superhero adventure film directed by Simon Wincer and written by Jeffrey Boam. It is based on the comic strip of the same name created by Lee Falk. The film stars Billy Zane as Kit Walker, the 21st descendant of a line of masked vigilantes known as the Phantom, who battles a criminal organization seeking to harness the power of mystical skulls. The cast also includes Treat Williams, Kristy Swanson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, James Remar, and Patrick McGoohan.

The film was released theatrically in the United States on June 7, 1996, by Paramount Pictures. It received mixed reviews from critics and underperformed at the box office, grossing approximately $23.5 million worldwide against a production budget of $45 million.

Despite its commercial failure, The Phantom later found success on home media and developed a cult following due to its nostalgic tone, period setting, and stylized homage to classic adventure serials.