Before ‘Day of Reckoning,’ Billy Zane Starred Alongside Catherine Zeta-Jones in This Ridiculous ’90s Cult Classic

It’s easy to forget how drastically different superhero films were received in the 1990s comparedto their dominance over popular culture today. Outside of the few breakout hits likeBatman Returns, Blade,andTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the superhero films of the ‘90s tended to be treated with derision, even if that was somewhat unwarranted.Billy Zane got the chance to suit up and play a ridiculous superhero inThe Phantom,which was based on the classic comic strip character from the 1930s. Although other contemporary superhero films likeDarkmanandThe Crowattempted to be much more somber and gritty,The Phantomembraced its B-movie sensibilities by crafting a pulpy, tongue-in-cheek tone reflective of the original source material.