Who needs Spider-Man when you can play in the land of Oz? Sources tell EW that former Spider-Man director Sam Raimi is in very early negotiations with Walt Disney Studios to direct The Wizard of Oz prequel called Oz, The Great and Powerful. Raimi, who was released from making Spider-Man 4 earlier this year by Sony Pictures, met with Disney on Friday and was offered the job over the weekend. Should the two parties come to a financial agreement, Raimi would begin pre-production shortly. There is no start date yet since the project hasn’t yet been greenlit. Disney wouldn’t confirm.
Raimi, who began his career directing horror films like the Evil Dead series, is supposed to meet with Robert Downey Jr. this week to discuss a starring role for Downey in the film. The actor, who has just seen his latest film Iron Man 2 catapult to a $300 million gross, would star as a fast-talking circus huckster who is transported through a freak tornado to the land of Oz, where they believe he is the Wizard they’ve been waiting for. Raimi and Downey’s reps both declined to comment.
I know not really, but isn’t the prequel to the Wizard of Oz, Wicked?
I’m pretty sure Wicked wasn’t intended to be a prequel, but another side of the story because the whole Wizard of Oz story takes place within Wicked.
Wicked is NOT a prequel to Wizard of Oz. For those that are uneducated – Frank Baum wrote 14 books on Wizard of Oz over a hundred years ago. In those books there’s the story of the Wizard and how he arrives in Oz. That must be what this script is about. Wicked has nothing to do with Frank Baum – it was written without Baum’s consent, and is one person’s interpretation of what the witches might have been like. At least this movie is an adaptation of Frank Baum’s original vision.
The Wizard’s story was referred to in several of L. Frank Baum’s Oz books, but none of them showed the story, really. If this movie is a prequel, it may or may not stick to Baum’s version, but even if it does, it will have to add to it quite a bit.
Wow Mary, could you sound a little more annoyed about ‘Wicked’, please… your cynicism and anger kinda jumped off the screen.
Wicked was written without Frank Baum’s consent? No way! I’m sure Gregory Maguire emailed him to make sure it’s ok.
I’m sure they tried to get Baum’s consent, but he never returned their calls because he had been DEAD FOR 70 FRICKIN’ YEARS!
My thoughts exactly…but you know Hollywood – redo redo redo – do over do over…
If you’ve read the book you know it is not.
And the book is quite dif from the play.
Like Raimi, but this is an awful idea.
Ugh, why can’t they just do Wicked?
Why should it be one or the other? If they’re both good stories, go with both of them.
Hmm… The musical of Wicked was absolutely huge, and extremely profitable. So if they’re dragging their feet about making a movie of it, I suspect it’s for one of two reasons: (1) they’re waiting until the stage shows stop running, so they don’t cut into the profits of the stage version; or (2) they’re worried that the poor receipts of the movies of Rent (another huge stage hit) and Nine indicate that the market for film musicals is softening again…
They are definitely planning to make a movie of Wicked, as Universal bought the rights loooong ago. But hopefully they will wait until a good time for it, and work hard enough on it so it doesn’t suck as much as most film adaptations do.
If universal bought the rights–that tells you right there it’s a flop movie.
With luck Universal will be smart and get Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenowith to reprise their roles (Joel Grey as the Wizard would be a bonus)
I love both Idina and Kristen, but they’d be too old to portray their characters on the silver screen. I guess that they could always CGI them younger, but that seems a bit much.
I think both Rent and Nine suffered from poor casting. I know Rent used the original stage cast but they were all too old for the roles by that point. Also casting Daniel Day-Lewis pretty much guarantees that you’re not going to get many people into the theater. I think Gangs of New York was his biggest film and it lost money.
I think Rent might have benefited from a better director. Nine was just a terrible movie all around. But I don’t think reception of movie musicals is softening at this point, particularly with people raving about Glee (for whatever reasons). I’d love to see a movie version of Wicked (the musical), and hopefully done well.
i hope when they do make a wicked movie it goes along closer to the darkness of the book instead of the stage version. i would be disappointed if it were a musical
yeah thats right which is it?
Why not just make Wicked into a movie?
With Lea Michelle as Elphaba. But who could be Glinda???
Shannon, you imbecile, it was a BOOK before it was a fruity Broadway show. Try reading – you may enjoy it.
Laura, how about you not call people names?
And seriously- “fruity”?
REESE WITHERSPOON!
Kristen Bell!
If they make Wicked into a movie, the original leads should do it – Idina and Kristin.
Laura, you dolt, I’m sure no one ever heard of the book until the musical. Try not being an a-hole. You may get more friends.
R,
I like the idea of Kristen Bell! She’s my girl crush. It depends on if they make the movie modeled after “Wicked”,the book or musical. Because I think Bell has only a decent voice.
As for Lea Michele, I don’t know…I loved her from Les Miz and Spring Awakening–and now on Glee, but I’ve seen too much of her now. It’s getting kind of annoying and if she continues to fuel the Idina Menzel similarities–it’s going to become like a Megan Fox trying to be the new Angelina Jolie thing.
How about Amanda Seyfried as Galinda/Glinda? I love Menzel and Chenowith, but they would be too old for the movie.
Laura – what on EARTH in Shannon’s comments led you to conclude that she was unaware Wicked was a book??? You were just waiting for the opportunity to jump on someone so you could “prove” how “smart” and well-read you are, right? Cause your response to Shannon….doesn’t at all match what Shannon said. Why don’t YOU try reading…people’s posts more carefully.
I don’t know if this is a good idea for a movie but since they are making it I’d rather have Raimi and RDJ over Burton and Depp.
That statement totally sums up my feelings on the matter. Weird pairing, but thank GOD it’s not another Burton/Depp butchering.
I agree. I am tired of yet another Burton/Depp flick. I hope that Raimi gives his brother Ted and Bruce Campbell cameos…then I’ll go see it! GROOVY!
Sam: Direct the Hobbit!!!
This sounds so freaking dumb. They need to do a serious adaptation of Wicked without all the stupid singing.
Sorry, just making a simple suggestion. If the book was half as good as the Broadway show was then maybe they would make a serious adaptation of it.
Stupid singing???? What a stupid comment!
This is an adaptation of one of the 14 Baum books – it’s not a remake. Also, Wicked has nothing to do with Baum – it was created seperate of Baum’s original work. They can still make this and Wicked if they wanted too – they are completely different stories – this follows the Wizard’s journey where Wicked follows the witches journey.
But Jen, if this is the Wizard’s story when he first went to Oz, it was referred to but wasn’t actually in any of Baum’s books.
But I agree with your main point — no reason that making this movie has anything to do with whether Wicked (the musical or a non-musical adaptation of the book) gets made into a movie.
This is going to be HUGE!! Downey and Raimi teaming up is brilliant! Great idea to follow the wizard.
I’m actually excited for this if it happens. Robert Downey Jr. is on a roll and Sam Raimi is a good director.
I still have not forgiven Raimi for spiderman 3. I still want my ten dollars back. But I’ll never get those two hours of my life back…
Agreed… I did not like SM 3 but all of his earlier films make up for it… Looking forward to what he could do with Wizard of Oz
It was ONE MOVIE. Get over it!
Jeez they are making this one (Oz, the G&P), the animated one with Lea Michele as Dorothy, AND they are planning the Wicked movie?? Overkill! Better wisely wait several long years before getting started on Wicked. Or, better yet, DON’T MAKE THAT. The other too sound good.
twooo
I have a bad feeling the entire lollipop guild will be CGI and in 3D.
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Bruce Campbell *is* OZ!
Why would he continue to keep jumping the shark?…it was bad enough that he did Spiderman…then he did 2 more crappy sequels…now this…C’mon, Sam…get in touch with Bruce Campbell and start making good low budget movies again…you started to with Drag Me to Hell…stop making garbage…
His first two “Spiderman” movies were brilliant, not “jumping the shark.” As good as if not better than the “Evil Dead” movies. Campbell’s old and relegated to cable television. Stop living in the past. It can’t be repeated.
Stop living in the past it can’t be repeated?…Yeah that makes a lot of sense when the guy made 3 crappy Spiderman movies…nice comment, Moron…
I’m less annoyed than you but agree – and with A SIMPLE PLAN Raimi showed he can do adult horrifying thrillers — he was the only person who could have directed Scott Smith’s follow up THE RUINS ( in fact there’s a scene in The Ruins with the plant laughing that is very EVIL DEAD II). It happens to a lot of directors who have kids and/or become middle aged… they soften. He started with Demons, what’s he gonna direct after Oz — foetuses?
So, Baum fans…which Oz book do you most wish someone would adapt?
I will say “Ozma of Oz,” even though parts of it were put into the movie “Return to Oz” (which was worth seeing, IMHO!)
return to oz is epic.
Ozma is a great choice, because it has a lot of kick-a** girl power. Ozma, the Princess with the removable heads, and don’t forget the punk Emerald City Revolutionary, Jellia Jamb!