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Among the most underrated romantic comedies ever made is Comet (2014), starring Emmy Rossum and Justin Long. Those performers got their start around the same time as one another, with Long debuting in Galaxy Quest (1999) and Rossum in Songcatcher (2000) at the turn of the century. The former film is far more famous. But Songcatcher saw great success upon release, as well. In the following year, Long starred in a horror stint called Jeepers Creepers (2001), and it was off to superstardom from there.

Meanwhile, Rossum appeared in Mystic River (2003) by Clint Eastwood, then traversed a similar trajectory. She followed up with another supporting role in The Day After Tomorrow (2004), along with the first co-starring role of her career in The Phantom of the Opera (2004). But more recent fans of Rossum's may be familiar with her versatile career thanks to her leading role as Fiona Gallagher in the hit television series Shameless. She's...

Emmy Rossum is in negotiations to star as the female lead in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical feature The Phantom of the Opera, to be directed by Joel Schumacher. Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group is producing the project, which goes into production in October. The project stars Scottish-born actor Gerard Butler in the title role, with Patrick Wilson as Raoul, the boyfriend of Christine (Rossum), the latter of whom becomes the object of the Phantom's obsession. Lloyd Webber and Schumacher wrote the screenplay. No domestic distributor is yet on board. Rossum, repped by CAA, stars in the Clint Eastwood-directed Mystic River for Warner Bros. Pictures and 20th Century Fox's sci-fi thriller The Day After Tomorrow for director Roland Emmerich. The actress' credits include Passionada, Happy Now and the telefilm The Audrey Hepburn Story.

He's not yet a household face, but Scottish-born actor Gerard Butler has been offered the starring role as the man behind the mask in helmer Joel Schumacher and Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical feature The Phantom of the Opera. Butler, who most recently appeared in Reign of Fire, has not decided whether to take the role because he is fielding other offers, among them Crusader Entertainment's The Game of Their Lives. Meanwhile, Anne Hathaway (The Princess Diaries) and Emmy Rossum (Passionada) have emerged as the top choices to play Phantom's female lead, Christine. Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group is producing the project, which goes into production in October. A domestic distributor has yet to come on board. Butler, repped by CAA, Jane Brand of ICM London and manager Alan Siegel, next stars in Paramount Pictures' Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life and Timeline.