I guess the truth of the matter is that Robert Downey Jr. is in very very high demand these days. In between filming as Iron Man, Avengers, and Sherlock Holmes he was the front runner to play the infamous “Wizard” in Sam Raimi’s prequel film to the Wizard of Oz. Looks like “things done changed…” as AICN is reporting that’s he’s dropped out of the role.
Aint it Cool News via The Hollywood reporter
… Robert Downey Jr. has “fallen out” of OZ, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL – the Sam Raimi directed pseudo-prequel chronicling how the man who would become “The Wizard” got to to Oz, and (presumably) became the Wizard.
Disney/Raimi/Etc. are now said to be in negotiations with Johnny Depp to assume the role. Which seems like totally fine casting, although perhaps a bit too uninspired and obvious.
I’ve grown to appreciate Robert Downey Jr. as an actor and have been looking forward to a lot of the films he was announced to be involved with, but I can’t help but admit that I’ve also been strongly disappointed in the ones that he’s chosen to drop like this movie and his re-team with Favreau for Cowboys and Aliens. This is a tough pill for me to swallow as my mind already began imagining his stellar performance in a memorable film and I really feel that Johnny Depp is a fitting replacement. Depp is a fantastic actor and I’m sure he could do a fine job in the role, it’s more that it’s just not the performance I expected and it really takes a lot of the wind out of the sails from this movie for me.
He was a smooth S.O.B. at the Golden Globes and came off Classier than Rickey Boy (even though Gervasis made me laugh hard quite a few times-Tim Allen).