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The Phantom Live-Action Series in Development With Reginald Hudlin

Hearst is using the 90-year-old hero to grow a global, multi-platform franchise.

Overview

  • Reginald Hudlin will direct and produce a new live-action TV take on The Phantom, which was revealed Friday as the project entered development.
  • King Features, the Hearst-owned home of the comic strip, is steering the series, with president C. J. Kettler calling the move a pivotal expansion for the brand.
  • Hearst says the property reaches more than 29 million readers worldwide, with strong followings in the Nordics, Australia and New Zealand, Brazil, the U.K. and Europe, and India.
  • The push includes fresh publishing from Mad Cave Comics that began in 2025 and a location-based immersive experience that Hearst plans to announce later this year.
  • Created by Lee Falk in 1936 and often cited as the first costumed superhero, The Phantom has a long screen history that ranges from a 1943 serial to a 1996 film and a 2009 Syfy miniseries.