by Matt Raub, Jun 15 2010 // 1:00 PM
A few months ago, Robert Downey Jr. was speaking at an Iron Man 2 press conference and joked that he has been offered just about every role there was to be offered out there, since he blew up the screen in the first Iron Man film. It seems that this story is proof of that, as Disney has just signed him to star in the upcoming Wizard of Oz prequel, titled Oz: The Great and Powerful.
Raimi was confirmed to be directing the film over the weekend, and now will be working with the modern day chameleon, Downey. Of course, after the success of Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, the film will definitely be in 3D. From MTV:
“Oz: The Great and Powerful” is already set to star Robert Downey Jr. in the titular role. The story follows the future wizard, a circus wrangler in the real world, as he is carried away to the magical land by a tornado. The people who live there mistake him for a powerful being and thus, a legend is born.
This would be the first film that Raimi has been attached to since walking off of Sony’s Spider-Man 4 when they decided to go for a High School Musical-style reboot. While we’re sure Disney is hoping for a repeat of Burton’s Alice, we the fans are all hoping that we don’t have to sit through another 90 minute CGI acid trip.
Posted in: 3-D · Action · Adaptation · Announcements · Casting · Comedy · Disney · Fantasy · Movies · News · Prequels and Sequels · Sci-Fi
Tagged: 3D, Alice in Woderland, Disney, Oz: The Great and Powerful, Robert Downey Jr., Sam Raimi, Wizard of Oz
by Sebastian Suchecki, Mar 10 2010 // 8:00 AM
Though Avatar didn’t pick up the best picture award at the Oscars on Sunday, the filmmakers can console themselves by sobbing into the ridiculous pile of money the film is still making and a few technical awards. Even without a big Oscar win, the 3D juggernaut in Hollywood keeps rolling along, as word is now coming in that Warner Bros. is planning on rebooting the holiest of classics: The Wizard of Oz.
And yes, it will be in 3D. From The LA Times:
The studio is examining two existing “Wizard of Oz” projects, with an eye toward giving one of them a modern gloss and moving it toward the screen.
One project, called “Oz,” currently lives at Warner’s New Line label. It’s being produced by Temple Hill, which is behind a little franchise called “Twilight,” and has a script written by Darren Lemke, a writer on the upcoming “Shrek Forever After.”
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Posted in: 3-D · Action · Box Office · Deals and Dealmaking · Disney · Movies · News · Reboots and Remakes · Warner Bros
Tagged: 3D, Darren Lemke, Disney, Josh Olson, Todd McFarlane, Warner Bros, Wizard of Oz