<P> Hugh Jackman was offered the chance to audition for the Phantom, but he faced scheduling conflicts with Van Helsing . "They rang to ask about my availability", Jackman explained in an April 2003 interview, "probably about 20 other actors as well . I wasn't available, unfortunately . So, that was a bummer ." "We needed somebody who has a bit of rock and roll sensibility in him", Andrew Lloyd Webber explained . "He's got to be a bit rough, a bit dangerous; not a conventional singer . Christine is attracted to the Phantom because he's the right side of danger ." Director Joel Schumacher had been impressed with Gerard Butler's performance in Dracula 2000 . Prior to his audition, Butler had no professional singing experience and had only taken four voice lessons before singing "The Music of the Night" for Lloyd Webber . </P> <P> Katie Holmes, who began working with a vocal coach, was the front - runner for Christine Daaé in March 2003 . She was later replaced by Anne Hathaway, a classically trained soprano, in 2004 . However, Hathaway dropped out of the role because the production schedule of the film overlapped with The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, which she was contractually obligated to make . Hathaway was then replaced with Emmy Rossum . The actress modeled the relationship between the Phantom and Christine after Suzanne Farrell and George Balanchine . Patrick Wilson was cast as Raoul based on his previous Broadway theatre career . For the role of Carlotta, Minnie Driver devised an over-the - top, camp performance as the egotistical prima donna . Despite also lacking singing experience, Ciarán Hinds was cast by Schumacher as Richard Firmin; the two had previously worked together on Veronica Guerin . Ramin Karimloo also briefly appears as the portrait of Gustave Daaé, Christine's father . Karimloo later played the Phantom as well as the role of Raoul on London's West End . </P> <P> Principal photography lasted from 15 September 2003 to 15 January 2004 . The film was shot entirely using eight sound stages at Pinewood Studios, where, on the Pinewood backlot, the bottom half exterior of the Palais Garnier was constructed . The top half was implemented using a combination of computer - generated imagery (CGI) and a scale model created by Cinesite . The surrounding Paris skyline for "All I Ask of You" was entirely composed of matte paintings . Cinesite also created a miniature falling chandelier, since a life - size model was too big for the actual set . </P> <P> Production designer Anthony D.G. Pratt was influenced by French architect Charles Garnier, designer of the original Paris opera house, as well as Edgar Degas, John Singer Sargent, Gustave Caillebotte, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and Dante Gabriel Rossetti . Schumacher was inspired by Jean Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast (1946), where a hallway is lined with arms holding candelabra . The cemetery was based on the Père Lachaise and Montparnasse . Costume designer Alexandra Byrne utilised a limited black, white, gold and silver colour palette for the Masquerade ball . </P>

Where did they film the phantom of the opera