Source: FilmoFilia
Here’s an interesting update on Sam Raimi‘s upcoming Oz, The Great and Powerful. Mila Kunis has signed on to play Theodora, the Wicked Witch of the West and previously rumored James Franco has signed on to play the Wizard, when he learned that Kunis is in the game.
All fine and interesting until I noticed that they also made some changes to the story.
But then, the script was recently rewritten by David Lindsay-Abaire, and now, according to Vulture it “tells the story of the origins of the Wizard, and of Oz’s infamous witches like Glinda, who becomes the Good Witch of the North, and Evanorah, who becomes the Wicked Witch of the East (though best remembered as the new, ruby-slippered sub-basement of Dorothy’s farmhouse).”
It’s not a deal breaker, but it does sorta change my outlook on the film. What was once a movie that seemingly focused solely on the story of the Great Wizard of Oz, starring Robert Downy Jr., has turned into a movie about a few of the figureheads in the fantasy world starring Franco and Kunis. I wasn’t sure what we would get out of a movie that wasn’t being anchored by Downey Jr. as the lead and now I’m having a tough time wrapping my head around this movie.
I don’t think they’ll give us a bad performance, I just have a hard time divorcing myself from what was originally pitched. What do you guys think of Kunis in the movie as a Wicked Witch and Franco as the Wizard?
“wicked” is being adapted to a full length film…. its already in the works and this project will fall through. sorry sam.
What makes you think ANOTHER wicked witch story is going to stop this one from being made?
Its never stopped them before.
I think Mila Kunis would make a great Evil Witch. She can really play a bad girl. Anyone seen Black Swan? She’s becoming a great actress. James Franco is great in anything he does. Can I picture him as the wizard? No not really. I grew up watching The Wizard of Oz every Thanksgiving and I cant picture James Franco as the Wizard, but if they are reinventing it maybe it will work.
Jesus! Franco’s all over the map now-a-days huh? Jeeeeesh!
Kunis seems too short to be a witch. :)
just sayin’, but yeah, this changes my mental picture of the film and kinda lowers my expectations.
You busting on me?
I feel so bad because I want to like Raimi but his stuff is too campy for me. I love evil dead though! When I go back and watch Spiderman 1 I constantly think how corney it is. Drag me to hell was extremely corney to me and I went into it hearing how great it is. I dunno, this doesn’t appeal to me.
“A Simple Plan” was the only Raimi flick I truly liked.(besides Spidey 1&2)
the Evil Dead stuff I semi-enjoyed but couldn’t re-watch as much as other die-hards. It’s super cheesy/campy and I agree w/ Drag me to hell, I came away thinking 1: the lead female looked like Rouge from the x-men, and 2:WTF were the critics thinkin’ giving it mainly good reviews. it was more like Evil Dead light and censored.
in other words: I follow Raimi cause of his Spidey connection more than his Core Horror stuff.