Caffeinated Clint
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Update : Well, so much for that! Zemeckis’ reps say he will NOT be directing a remake of “The Wizard of Oz”. Does that mean there won’t BE a “Wizard of Oz” remake? Of course not.
This news couldn’t be any timelier. All week – actually all fortnight – I’ve been watching Judy Garland croon about the other side of a Rainbow. Yep, my daughter has discovered “The Wizard of Oz” (She’s discovered “Return to Oz” too, but understandably, that hasn’t made as big an impact) – that exquisite slightly psychologically-scarring but mostly joyous jaunt down the Yellow Brick Road. I love the movie, it’s so… innocent and, dare I say, thought-provoking (was she or was she not in Oz!?). I’m sure I’ll be watching it another 20 times, at my daughter’s request, before Christmas.
But I digress. Robert Zemeckis may have turned down “Superman” but it doesn’t sound like he’s going to turn down Warners latest offer, directing a remake of the classic “Wizard of Oz”.
Deadline says the “Back to the Future” and “A Christmas Carol” director is planning to direct a film based on the original script from the classic film. Warner Bros owns the screenplay because Ted Turner bought it along with the MGM library before Warner Bros bought Turner’s empire.
There’s no less than three “Oz”-related film projects in the works at present – the most notable is the one Disney, director Sam Raimi and actor Robert Downey Jr are working on called “The Great and Powerful Oz”, a prequel about the eccentric magic man that rules the land. A film based on the wonderful stage play “Wicked” is also in development.
Zemeckis is currently working on another high-profile remake, “Yellow Submarine”.
