Phantom of the Megaplex
Encyclopedia
The Phantom of the Megaplex is a 2000 Disney Channel Original Movie, produced by the Disney Channel
. With a title and concept very loosely based on The Phantom of the Opera
, the film concerns strange happenings at a megaplex
on the night of a major movie premiere
, Midnight Mayhem. The central character, played by Taylor Handley
, is Pete Riley, the seventeen year old assistant manager of the theater. He has to cope with malfunctioning equipment, disappearing staff, and a broken popcorn machine, among other headaches. He investigates to see if the troubles are coincidence or the result of sabotage
by a mysterious "phantom". The senior manager of the theater is played by Rich Hutchman, and Ricky Mabe, Julia Chantrey, Joanne Boland, J.J. Stocker, and Lisa Ng appear as other employees of the theater. Caitlin Wachs
and Jacob Smith
play the central character's younger siblings, and Heather and Jennifer Bertram appear as his girlfriend and her friend.
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
. With a title and concept very loosely based on The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera
Le Fantôme de l'Opéra is a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serialisation in "Le Gaulois" from September 23, 1909 to January 8, 1910...
, the film concerns strange happenings at a megaplex
Multiplex (movie theater)
A multiplex is a movie theater complex with multiple screens, typically three or more. They are usually housed in a specially designed building. Sometimes, an existing venue undergoes a renovation where the existing auditoriums are split into smaller ones, or more auditoriums are added in an...
on the night of a major movie premiere
Premiere
A premiere is generally "a first performance". This can refer to plays, films, television programs, operas, symphonies, ballets and so on. Premieres for theatrical, musical and other cultural presentations can become extravagant affairs, attracting large numbers of socialites and much media...
, Midnight Mayhem. The central character, played by Taylor Handley
Taylor Handley
Taylor Laurence Handley is an American actor.In 1998, Taylor played Rory Buck in the movie Jack Frost. In 2000, Handley starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie, Phantom of the Megaplex. Handley appeared in three episodes during the last season of Dawson's Creek and guest starred during an...
, is Pete Riley, the seventeen year old assistant manager of the theater. He has to cope with malfunctioning equipment, disappearing staff, and a broken popcorn machine, among other headaches. He investigates to see if the troubles are coincidence or the result of sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
by a mysterious "phantom". The senior manager of the theater is played by Rich Hutchman, and Ricky Mabe, Julia Chantrey, Joanne Boland, J.J. Stocker, and Lisa Ng appear as other employees of the theater. Caitlin Wachs
Caitlin Wachs
Caitlin Elizabeth Wachs is an American actress who has acted in several films and TV series. She appeared alongside Ally Walker and Robert Davi in Profiler, and played the president's daughter, Rebecca Calloway, on the series Commander in Chief....
and Jacob Smith
Jacob Smith (actor)
Jonathan Jacob Charles William Smith is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his role in the film Cheaper by the Dozen and its 2005 sequel.-Life and career:...
play the central character's younger siblings, and Heather and Jennifer Bertram appear as his girlfriend and her friend.
Plot
17-year-old Pete Riley works as the assistant manager at the local 26-screen Grand megaplex, a job that he loves and spends all his time doing. Rumor has it that the megaplex is haunted by a "phantom" of someone who was trapped inside the building when it was demolished in order to build the current megaplex. Pete, along with the senior manager, Shawn MacGibbon and the other employees (including Movie Mason, an old man who loves movies and thinks he works at the megaplex and is hated by Shawn) are working to keep the theater neat for the giant premiere gala that night where they are going to premiere "Midnight Mayhem" and are expecting the owner of the megaplex, Wolfgang Nedermayer to be among the guests. To Pete's disappointment, he has to drag along his younger sister and brother, Karen and Bryan, to the theater while their mother goes out on a date. He dumps the two of them into a movie so he can focus on setting up for the premiere ,but problems arise causing delays. The other movies are having major screw-ups, and the screw ups are the title problems (like a movie-screen featuring a movie called "Cyclone Summer" has a giant fan moved into the movie room where not supposed to and blows everything as if it were a F-6 tornado). Pete, Karen, and Bryan work together and investigates and figure out that result of sabotage are responsible by the Phantom. When the Phantoms sabotages the room Midnight Mayhem is to play in, Pete is able to stop him after a brief fight and unmasks the Phantom, revealing it to be Shawn. Nedermayer fires Shawn and tells him that he will never work in another theater again. He then offers Pete the job of senior manager, something Pete has always wanted. Pete tells Nedermayer that he'd be honored, but yet turns it down. Inspired by Karen and Bryan from their help at exposing Shawn as the Phantom, Pete says that he realizes the importance of childhood and doesn't want to waste it anymore than he has and asks for the rest of the night off. Nedermayer agrees and even gives Pete money to take his girlfriend out for breakfast after the movie. Bryan comments that the only thing to make this night perfect would be 5-Star ending, which his mom's boyfriend offeres by proposing to her, and she says yes. As everyone goes in to watch the premiere, Movie Mason tells Bryan that he never really believed in a phantom, but the "Werewolf of the Megaplex", is an entirely different story in its own.Cast
- Taylor HandleyTaylor HandleyTaylor Laurence Handley is an American actor.In 1998, Taylor played Rory Buck in the movie Jack Frost. In 2000, Handley starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie, Phantom of the Megaplex. Handley appeared in three episodes during the last season of Dawson's Creek and guest starred during an...
as Pete Riley, 17-year-old assistant manager of the theater - Jacob SmithJacob Smith (actor)Jonathan Jacob Charles William Smith is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his role in the film Cheaper by the Dozen and its 2005 sequel.-Life and career:...
as Bryan Riley, Pete's perceptive 12-year-old brother - Caitlin WachsCaitlin WachsCaitlin Elizabeth Wachs is an American actress who has acted in several films and TV series. She appeared alongside Ally Walker and Robert Davi in Profiler, and played the president's daughter, Rebecca Calloway, on the series Commander in Chief....
as Karen Riley, Pete's 13-year-old sister - Corinne BohrerCorinne BohrerCorinne Vilhelma Bohrer is an American movie and television actress.-Early life:She grew up in Arlington, Texas, a suburb of the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex area, where she attended Lamar High School. She was active in drama, band, and student government...
as Mrs. Riley, Pete's mother - John NovakJohn NovakJohn Novak is an actor and anime voice actor who frequently does voice work for the Ocean Group based in Vancouver, Canada....
as George, Mrs. Riley's new boyfriend - Mickey RooneyMickey RooneyMickey Rooney is an American film actor and entertainer whose film, television, and stage appearances span nearly his entire lifetime. He has won multiple awards, including an Honorary Academy Award, a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award...
as Movie Mason, elderly movie fan, his family opened the old theater before the megaplex. When the theater closed down and the megaplex was opened he thinks he works there, though doesn't, he comes to the megaplex everyday and everybody likes him except Shawn. - Rich Hutchman as Shawn MacGibbon / The Phantom of the Megaplex: The Senior theater manager who is always worried about his job and dislikes Mason. To get noticed he disguises himself as The Phantom, haunting the entire Megaplex doing crazy things all over.
- Colin FoxColin FoxColin Fox is the national spokesperson of the Scottish Socialist Party, and a former member for Lothian in the Scottish Parliament...
as Wolfgang Nedermayer, the owner of the Megaplex - Ellen-Ray Hennessy as Tory Hicks
- Carlo RotaCarlo RotaCarlo Rota is a British-born Canadian actor, best known to Canadian audiences for his role on Little Mosque on the Prairie and to international audiences for starring on the FOX series 24.-Early life:...
as Tyler Jesseman, the director of Midnight Mayhem - Eric Hempsall as Lamonica, new manager
- Ricky MabeRicky MabeRichard "Ricky" Mabe is a Canadian actor.Mabe first voiced the character Willie in CINAR Animation's The Little Lulu Show and has subsequently starred frequently on various Canadian television series' and in feature films alongside Burt Reynolds, Ryan Gosling and Elisha Cuthbert.He was also the...
as Ricky "Rules", theater worker, has the correct procedure for anything and does everything by the book - Julia Chantrey as "Scary" Terri, theater worker, loves telling scary stories about the Megaplex
- Joanne Boland as Hilary "Honey", theater worker, described as a grandma in a teenage body due to her caring personality
- J.J. Stocker as "Question" Mark, theater worker, a bit slow-witted, always asking questions
- Lisa Ng as "Racy" Lacy, theater worker, known for being quick in movement and personality
- Joe PingueJoe PingueJoe Pingue is a Canadian actor.His film credits include The Boondock Saints, Pushing Tin, Repo Men, The Book of Eli and Knockaround Guys....
as Merle, the theater's head projectionist, even on a simple question he has a habit of saying too complicated techno answer in return - Heather Bertram as Caitlin, Pete's girlfriend
- Jennifer Bertram as Lisa, Caitlin's best friend
- Jeff Berg as Donny Hollie, Pete's rival