The Phantom of the Opera (1989): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1989, The Phantom of the Opera is a drama, horror and romance film directed by Dwight H. Little, running about 93 minutes. “Only love and music are forever.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. When Christine Day accidentally discovers a rare piece of music, she brings back to life its composer, Erik Destler. Through her fascination with the music she is transported back to Destler's time, 1889, and is thrust into stardom by singing his opera as no one else can. But against the exciting backdrop of the opera lurks a hideous danger—the Phantom—and Christine soon finds herself the object of his relentless desire.

Who’s in it. The Phantom of the Opera stars Robert Englund as Erik Destler / The Phantom, Jill Schoelen as Christine Day, Alex Hyde-White as Richard Dutton and Bill Nighy as Martin Barton, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.5/10, The Phantom of the Opera has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $4M at the box office.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Phantom of the Opera page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Phantom of the Opera tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.