Sam Raimi to direct Robert Downey Jr in Wizard of Oz prequel

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

From Deadline Hollywood:

Let me confirm that Sam Raimi is set to direct Robert Downey Jr in Disney's extravagant 'Wizard of Oz' 3D prequel. I understand that talks to hire Raimi for Oz: The Great And Powerful turned into a deal last night finalized by CAA. It's a coup for new studio bosses Rich Ross and Sean Bailey, who are rolling the dice big-time by hoping that this pic will be a global hit like the billion-dollar-grossing Alice In Wonderland. Downey will play the Wizard Of Oz before he became the Wizard Of Oz circa the 1939 iconic film: he's in fact a circus wrangler transported by tornado to the mysterious world of Oz where he gets mistaken for a know-it-all. This will be Raimi's first firm project since he exited Spider-Man 4, which prompted Sony Pictures to reboot the entire franchise earlier this year. Now the only question is whether Sam Raimi can do what Tim Burton just did.

 

[RoJoHen]

Wizard of Oz prequel, huh?

So...they're filming "Wicked?" Or is this a different story?

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

So...they're filming "Wicked?" Or is this a different story?

Different story.

 

[Othello]

That certainly has potential. I hope they really hew stylistically to the original.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Interesting indeed...he'd been eying two "Oz" projects and I guess it would seem that he's chosen or is close to choosing this one. I'll see it since it has Downey Jr.

 

[Greg Cox]

I just want Raimi to get around to THE SHADOW . . . .

 

[exodus]

I've never liked the Wizard of Oz, so this sounds like a stupid idea too me.

Hey, I'm bias but I admit it.

 

[Silent_Bob]

I guess we'll be waiting a bit longer for the Warcraft film then.

 

[Stegoman05]

I guess we'll be waiting a bit longer for the Warcraft film then.

Ya i was thinking the same thing. I was hoping warcraft would be his next project. Oh well.

 

[Greg Cox]

I guess we'll be waiting a bit longer for the Warcraft film then.

Ya i was thinking the same thing. I was hoping warcraft would be his next project. Oh well.

Nah, THE SHADOW first, then that newfangled WARCRAFT thingie . . . .

 

[Broccoli]

Alice in Wonderland grossed a billion dollars? I didn't know that.

 

[Owain Taggart]

This sounds like it has quite a bit of promise. Hope it doesn't get the 'Alice in Wonderland' treatment though. But quite a bit can be done with the lore on screen that we haven't seen in The Wizard of Oz.

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

From Deadline Hollywood:

Now the only question is whether Sam Raimi can do what Tim Burton just did.

Completely miss the point? Yeah, Raimi can do that, too!

 

[Samurai8472]

The previous ruler of Oz will have an entire army of tin men. At the end of the film a soldier is picked up and repaired to work chopping wood.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

That certainly has potential. I hope they really hew stylistically to the original.

I don't know, that 1910 version is pretty creaky. They should make it like the 1939 version.

Hey, I'm bias but I admit it.

"biased" - sorry, it's a pet peeve

 

[Broccoli]

That certainly has potential. I hope they really hew stylistically to the original.

I don't know, that 1910 version is pretty creaky. They should make it like the 1939 version.

 

[Stevil2001]

I've never liked the Wizard of Oz, so this sounds like a stupid idea too me.

Hey, I'm bias but I admit it.

I do like The Wizard of Oz and this sounds like a stupid idea to me...

 

[TheBrew]

Could be cool. RDJ is pretty good casting IMO.

 

[exodus]

That certainly has potential. I hope they really hew stylistically to the original.

I don't know, that 1910 version is pretty creaky. They should make it like the 1939 version.

Hey, I'm bias but I admit it.

"biased" - sorry, it's a pet peeve

Damn, I need a spellcheck.
Thank you, I appreciate the correction.

 

[T'Baio]

Interesting, I love Sam Raimi and I love Robert Downey Jr....and yet, it seems I don't care at all about this project.