A Return To Oz? That's what Warners are planning Source: Variety
As if the Wheelers weren't scary enough, Warner Bros and producer Todd McFarlane want to take us all back to Oz again - and this time it ain't all going to be ruby slippers and singing scarecrows.
The pitch for this take on Frank L. Baum's classic series of books is to make things a little darker (although the writer, A History of Violence's Josh Olson, says he's thinking "Harry Potter dark, not Seven dark"), without so many singing Munchkins. McFarlane is describing this as a "dark, edgy, muscular PG -13", although Olson is arguing for a slightly tamer PG and says it's more of a sequel than a remake.
McFarlane, for those of you struggling to figure out why you know his name, is the producer and writer behind Spawn, but don't lets hold that against him. After all, he's a talented comic-book artist and...well, everyone deserves a second chance. He's had an interest in Oz for ages, having brought out a rather twisted toy range several years ago with a busty Dorothy and an enormous, snarling Toto. Er. Let's not hold that against him either, eh?
Olson, in any case, has said he has no interest in portraying Dorothy as a "bondage queen", which is nice, and cited the wealth of characters and imagination on offer in the 15 Oz books as the thing he's focusing on. McFarlane, meanwhile, wants to get The Lord of the Rings' audience to come see this, by giving it a "2007 wow factor". "You’ve still got Dorothy trapped in an odd place, but she’s much closer to the Ripley from ‘Alien’ than a helpless singing girl," he says. Ripley? Er. OK.
Olson says that his approach is largely to create his own plot, but using Baum's characters - and for all the worrying disagreement that seems to be bubbling under between writer and producer, this could be a good thing. After all, The Wizard of Oz may be one of the best, and best-loved, films ever made, but it is itself a remake, so we can't hold this project's somewhat dubious start against it - can we? And scary-ass Wheelers or not, everyone kinda loves Return To Oz in a 1980s, Fairuza Balk kinda way. Right?
Ahhh I'm pleased to hear it wont go fully in Todd's direction of the Twisted Land of Oz (Although I love the figures) but it's about time Oz got the mature update it deserves. I hope for a slightly twisted Pan's Labyrinth style movie. After all, the Wizard of Oz; as wonderful as it is and I adore it with entirly, needs to be a little more frightening and mysterious. A girl who lands in a place with Witches and strange talking animals would find it alot more daunting that Dorothy has in the past.... Read More
what are they doing!!!! they are raping my childhood!!! Its an interesting idea but I'm gonna wait with bated breath for this film. Who knows how it will turn out...just not into the idea of toto being a warthog and dorothy being a ripley kind of character. Judy's dorothy was trying to get home and the only way she could realise this ambition is when she has found the parts of herself (the heart, the brain, courage) will she find that the answer truly lies at her feet (the slippers). Will a ripl... Read More
I read the wonderful wizard of oz , the book was brilliant, it was so magical.It is nothing like the movie, the shoes are not meant to be ruby, they all at one part get split up , Dorothy gets three wishes from some monkeys and lots more amazing things happen.I think Return To Oz is great because its sound more like the book and to have new movies of the L. Frank Baum books to be all dark and magical would be wonderful because the books are all dark and magical.The only reason that this wasn't ... Read More
It's a kids book, for christ's sake leave Judy alone...
I love the orginal Oz and Return was superb because it picked up on darker elements of the sotry (which are there when you read the book). But to completely twist it and then to say that you're just gonna use the characters, that won't be any thing like the characters. Well why not just start from scratch, I know, because then the film won't have 100 years of publicity...Todd, leave Judy alone!!!! ... Read More
I say - give it to Guillmero Del Toro an cast an unknown as Dorothy. He done a fantastic job with Pans Labirinth and i think he could do a great job wih this. NO Dakota Fanning. This movie dosent need a child star it needs a fresh face! ... Read More
Sorry to go on about it, but that Fanning girl looks like she's had the blood drained out of her.
Anyway, I think it would be great if they cast an unknown as the part of Dorothy. And I think it would br great to keep it quite raw in places. Nothing to Narnia-ish if you know what I mean. I think that it would be better to follow a Pan's Labyrinth path than anything else. ... Read More
L: missphoenix
Sounds like a great idea, and hopefully they'll pull it off - I just hope they don't cast that reptile faced Dakota (looks like she's been buried under a rock for a year) Fanning. Can't stand that little creature.
sp;
I like Dakota Fanning. I think she is a great actress. I watched Man on fire recently and thought she was excellent.
On the Oz film, it sounds like an Ok idea to me. Its a wacky world. ... Read More
Sounds like a great idea, and hopefully they'll pull it off - I just hope they don't cast that reptile faced Dakota (looks like she's been buried under a rock for a year) Fanning. Can't stand that little creature.
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I actually preferred Return To Oz than Thw Wizard Of Oz. It was a lot more imaginative and quite frightening. The headless queen and alas the terrifying wheelers. Im holding out for this project though. The fact that its more of a sequel than a remake should at least put it up. Im not sure about PG though. A 12's rating should be suffice to capture a more darker, tense Oz.. I cannot understand the american rating system..... Just thought I'd let you know ... Read More
