This weekend’s biggest opening film is certainly Oz the Great and Powerful, starring James Franco (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Michelle Williams (Take This Waltz), Mila Kunis (Ted), Rachel Weisz (Dream House), and Zach Braff (Garden State) and directed by Sam Raimi (the Spiderman trilogy). It’s sure to be a favorite among younger viewers who will no doubt be mesmerized by the visually stunning 3D special effects and fairy tale plot. For more on the film, check out my review!
However, Disney is looking to cash in on the film’s hype with a sequel that is already in the works. According to Variety, Disney has inked a deal with Oz’s Mitchell Kapner, co-screenwriter with David Lindsay-Abaire, to develop a script for a sequel. There aren’t any further details about the story as of now, but it’s important to keep in mind that ideas from L. Frank Baum’s novels, including The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, are available for inspiration to another film. However, creative interpretations outside of the text, like the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland, are owned by Warner Bros.
For example, for those of you who haven’t read any of Baum’s novels, you’d be surprised to find that Dorothy’s magical slippers were originally written as silver, but with Technicolor developments in filmmaking, Warner Bros. hired MGM’s costume designer Gilbert Adrian to create the famed ruby red slippers that Judy Garland wore during her journey down the yellow brick road. Disney can’t introduce those elements, but there is plenty of Baum’s material to draw from.
Oz the Great and Powerful is expected to rake in nearly $80 million this weekend domestically, giving fantasy / adventure films an even higher standard to surpass. This includes the upcoming Maleficent, a Sleeping Beauty remake starring Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning, as well as Cinderella with Emma Watson and Cate Blanchett.
What do you think about the rumors behind an Oz sequel? Are you going to see Oz the Great and Powerful? Would you like to see this cast working together again? Where do you think the Oz-based storyline should go?
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