The Phantom of the Opera is the 2004 film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart's internationally successful 1986 stage musical, which is in turn based on the novel The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. The cast includes Gerard Butler as the Phantom, Emmy Rossum (who was only 16 at the time of filming) as Christine, Patrick Wilson as Raoul, Miranda Richardson as Madame Giry, Jennifer Ellison as Meg, and Minnie Driver (whose vocals were dubbed by Margaret Preece, a professional opera singer) as Carlotta. Ramin Karimloo (who had been playing Raoul in the London production of Phantom at the time of filming) appeared in a cameo role as Christine's father.

Based on the original novel by Gaston Leroux, the plot centers on a disfigured musical genius (the "phantom"), tormented by his scarred face, who lives in the watery labyrinths beneath the Opera Populaire in Paris, terrorizing the opera, including committing several murders. Obsessed with the voice of Christine, a beautiful young soprano, he plots to place her center stage through threatening letters to the management and hopes to win her heart with his efforts to make her a star.

Christine is torn between her love for Raoul and her dark attraction to and pity for the Phantom. The Phantom emprisons Raoul and threatens to kill him if Christine does not choose the Phantom.

Eventually, Christine shows him affection - something which he has never received from anyone. Her kindness so deeply touches the Phantom that he allows Christine and Raoul to leave. He disappears, before the police arrives.

There are minor changes from the stage musical: Some new scenes are added while others from the musical are removed, some lines that were sung are now spoken and vice versa. In addition, the chandelier crash--once situated at the end of Act One on stage--was moved to the film's climax near the end. The Phantom's makeup for the face itself in the film is also changed from the musical and made much more subtle and natural.

Driver herself does lend her actual singing voice to the film's end title song, "Learn To Be Lonely", written by Lloyd Webber and Hart expressly for the film. The tune for "Learn to Be Lonely" was originally intended for an additional song to be sung by the Phantom during the film, called "No One Would Listen" (originally to have had lyrics by David Zippel, who adapted a few lines of the musical for the movie due to changes in the staging/plot), but the song was removed for pacing reasons. (It is included as an extra on some editions of the DVD.) There was some controversy among fans in regard to the performance of "Learn to Be Lonely" at the Academy Awards, where it was performed by the singer Beyoncé Knowles, along with several other songs nominated for Best Original Song.

Trafalgar Square Publishing has issued The Phantom of the Opera Companion, a definitive account of the tale, tracing the legend from its origins, and through all its artistic incarnations, to the contemporary theater production and film. It includes the complete screenplay and more than 150 photographs from both the film and theater productions worldwide.

The soundtrack has been released on CD.

Prior to its official release, the film garnered three Golden Globe nominations in the Musical or Comedy categories: Best Picture, Best Actress (Rossum), and Best Song ("Learn to Be Lonely"). It won none.

It was nominated for three 2005 Academy Awards: achievement in art direction, achievement in cinematography, and achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song). It won none. However, the National Board of Review awarded Emmy Rossum the Female Breakthrough Performance.

After its release the film was met with mixed reviews. The general critical consensus of the film was that it was visually spectacular, but lacking in realistic romance and danger. Gerard Butler, a baritone, was criticised for not having the full range needed to play the title character, though this was often by fans (also called Phans) enraged that Michael Crawford was not cast. Emmy Rossum was much criticized for not having a voice mature enough for the role of Christine. However, Patrick Wilson has been hailed as one of the best actors to portray Raoul. Popular response, however, was more positive, with the movie maintaining a spot in the top ten grossing movies of the week, for a month, even in limited release. Due to its limited theatre count, however, domestic box office receipts overall fell short of the film's $60-70 million USD budget, but when foreign box office receipts were added in, it quickly made a profit, earning $100 million overseas.