'Phantom' sequel to film down under

A belated sequel to superhero movie The Phantom is to film in Australia next year.

Sherlock Symington Productions has picked up the rights to the character and will film Tim Boyle's script The Phantom Legacy, according to The Associated Press.

Boyle revealed that the storyline is based around "the father/son relationship, and what it means to be The Phantom. The film will be set in the present day and will deal with the concept of destiny".

Producer Bruce Sherlock added: "It has the makings of a blockbuster. There's some surprises that will thrill the Phantom fans worldwide."

Based on a newspaper comic strip by Lee Falk, the Phantom is a purple-suited hero who takes on the family vow of fighting injustice. The character was adapted for film in 1996, with Billy Zane playing the eponymous character and Catherine Zeta-Jones in an early Hollywood role.