Wizard of Oz News

Oh, What a World!

By TK | Posted Under Trade News | Comments (17)

No, no, they’re not remaking The Wizard of Oz.

Well… not exactly.

OK, back up — let’s start with the good news. The good news is that Warner Home Video and Turner Classic Movies, in preparation for their pending 70th Anniversary Blu-Ray release of The Wizard of Oz (due September 29th), are holding a nationwide, one-night-only Hi-Def screening of the film. The screening will be on Wednesday, September 23rd at 7:00 PM (local time), and you can find a theater showing it in your area and purchase tickets in advance by clicking here.

In… er… other Oz-related news, Warner Brothers has another Oz-related project in the works (sort of), based on Todd McFarlane’s Twisted Land of Oz toy line, which features Dorothy as a kind of bondage/S&M queen, the Tin Man as a freaky cyborg, and other bizarre takes on L. Frank Baum’s world. Screenwriter Josh Olson (A History of Violence) has been tapped to write, and the only other news at the moment is that the studio is apparently talking to Dakota Fanning to play either a new take on Dorothy, or Dorothy’s granddaughter. Details, as you may have surmised, are sketchy at best at the moment, as much of this is rumor originated by a couple of vague rumors that were skeptically compiled by Slash Film.

I’m not thrilled at the idea, though I suspect the project will gain more steam if Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland picture succeeds. McFarlane’s last film-related project, the wretched and inexorable Spawn, is certainly not a great precedent for his projects, and coupled with the fact that the guy is kind of a dick, I’m more than a little cynical.

But hey, the Blu-Ray release is good news, right?

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Comments

But hey, the Blu-Ray release is good news, right?

Silver lining, man. Silver lining.

It was a dream of extra-ordinary MAGNITUDE!

Posted by: Jay at August 24, 2009 10:03 AM

Frank Baum wrote 14 OZ books. Why don't they make a movie out of one of the other 13 books? Why do they keep remaking Wizard?

Posted by: BWeaves at August 24, 2009 10:17 AM

So tired of shitty WoZ retreads that ignore the fact that there were a ton of other books in the series.

Blade: Trinity was not a good movie, but even they remembered there were other books in the damn series.

Posted by: twig at August 24, 2009 10:19 AM

i can actually see fanning in this.
and not get upset.

someone take my temperature.

Posted by: gp at August 24, 2009 10:35 AM

i can actually see fanning in this.
and not get upset.

Well, here are a couple of images of McFarlane's Dorothy. Feel any different now?

Posted by: Jerce at August 24, 2009 10:44 AM

Hey, don't forget that Walter Murch took us on a magical fairytale ride on a sofa with a moose's head in 1985!

Yes, that's right, Tom Hanks' film was not the first to feature a retarded character named Gump.

shit...sorry Walter. "in the Blink of an Eye" was an awesome read, though!

Posted by: laredo at August 24, 2009 10:48 AM

@ Jerce

MY EYES! MY EEEEEEEYYYYYYYEEEES! ow ow ow ow ow...

Posted by: eppendork at August 24, 2009 11:04 AM

Jerce, you have succeeded in ruining all things. Good day, sir!

Posted by: Patty O'Green at August 24, 2009 11:10 AM

I'm kind of bothered by the McFairlane representation of Dorothy as some sort of bondage whore with a belt strap tube top in her undies. Like, really, she wasn't that bad off in Kansas. Unless...
Oh shit. I just got wrong images of what the three farmhands did to pass the time. Thanks McFairlane!
I really do think that an HD Oz would be magnificent to behold on the big screen. Although they totally released Wizard of OZ on a pretty decent DVD edition like, five years ago. I should know, I forked out enough money on it that another edition of The Wizard of Oz would seem silly in my collection.
But the new one has a collectors' watch.
Damn, life is unfair.

Posted by: Kamikaze Feminist at August 24, 2009 11:11 AM

See, but the problem with making the other books into movies is that they all suck. Seriously. Even just reread Wizard of Oz. L. Frank Baum may a beautiful storyteller, but I don't think he had an editor. Or...any talent for writing.

Posted by: buttercup at August 24, 2009 11:26 AM

I'll get you, my pretties, and your shit-balls retarded re-imaging, too! WAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!

Posted by: dammitjanet at August 24, 2009 11:26 AM

Wednesday?! Why would they make that showing on a Wednesday!? Goddammit, I have class on Wednesday! Filthy sons of whores.

Posted by: Anna von Beaverplatz at August 24, 2009 11:38 AM

BWeaves >> I have seen all sorts of Oz projects floating around town. Some are based on the other books, and some are tangents inspired by the universe. I couldn't tell you why Hollywood hasn't done anything with them. Maybe it's The Wiz? Maybe it's that Zooey Deschanel TV-movie? I haven't been particularly impressed with the scripts I read regardless.

Posted by: DarthCorleone at August 24, 2009 11:53 AM

well aware of mcfarlane's vision.
and i think we all owe fanning the benefit of the doubt.

Posted by: gp at August 24, 2009 12:36 PM

I'm still waiting for just a straight adaptation of the Wizard of Oz BOOK. All we've got is the musical, and I am not a fan of that whatsoever.

I guess I'll just keep wistfully rewatching Return to Oz and imagining what could have been.

Posted by: Nat at August 24, 2009 1:56 PM

You all lie to yourselves when you imply that Dorothy wasn't truly a bondage queen.

Posted by: Friendless Nerd at August 24, 2009 3:58 PM

Isn't Fanning like 15?

Am I the only one getting a really really bad case of the heeby jeebys about picturing her playing McFarlanes Dorothy?

Posted by: Ben at August 25, 2009 1:58 AM

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