Disney Gives OZ: THE GREAT AND POWERFUL Sequel The Green Light
Disney are clearly confident that Sam Raimi's Oz: The Great and Powerful will perform well at the box office this weekend (some analysts are already predicting a $100 million weekend) as they have commissioned a follow-up from screenwriter Mitchell Kapner. Read on for details!
Variety reports that Disney has given a sequel to Oz: The Great and Powerful the green light. No plot details are available at this point, but screenwriter Mitchell Kapner (who co-wrote the first film with David Lindsay-Abaire) is currently working on a first draft of the script. According to the site, he was given the go ahead to start work on a sequel several months ago, but the fact that the Sam Raimi helmed prequel to The Wizard of Oz is tracking for a debut at the North American box office of between $80 million - $100 million will certainly help its chances in making this a reality. As the rights to the original 1939 movie are held by Warner Bros., Disney aren't allowed to use anything from that. Kapner can instead work with what is featured in L. Frank Baum's novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Are you planning on checking out the movie tomorrow?
"Oz The Great and Powerful" imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved character, the Wizard of Oz. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot—fame and fortune are his for the taking—that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity—and even a bit of wizardry—Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.
STARRING:
James Franco as Oscar Diggs/Oz
Mila Kunis as Theodora
Michelle Williams as Glinda the Good Witch
Rachel Weisz as Evanora
Zach Braff as Frank and Finley
Joey King as China Girl
Abigail Spencer as Mrs. Hamilton
Ted Raimi as Skeptic/Tinker
Tony Cox as Knuck
Tim Holmes as The Strong Man
RELEASE DATE: March 8th, 2013.