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This is a continuation thread, the old thread is [split]337770[/split]
Sam Raimi Hired To Direct Downey In 'Oz'
By Nikki Finke | Tuesday June 15, 2010 @ 4:10am PDT
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. 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. Based on Spidey's blockbuster box office, it's a good bet.
Wanna talk about who was really miscast? James Franco.
Unbelievably miscast and should not have been the one to carry this film.
I think, I slightly forget, Scarecrow says that he's been hanging their for just one day or a couple of days before Dorothy first arrives. The Tin Man I don't was ever given a time.
Oz I'd like to see older, but there -- I'd be willing to give it liberties. They however could possibly gradually add aging makeup to Franco as the series continued for such a time lapse. He was old, not grandfather old - but I'd say in his fifties or sixties probably.
Who would you have preferred? RDJ?
With Scarecrow, if indeed Oz did make him - as I foretold - to be a guide for the arriver he wouldn't set it out there two years or even one year in advance. There are a number of things that could go wrong in that time span. The witch could capture him. Someone else could have found him. In order to be found by Dorothy if set by Oz he would need to be set there not too soon and not too late either but right at the precise time.
I really like Franco, but I can't help but think RDJ would have done a better job. Still haven't seen the movie, but it's a feeling.
I still don't like it and it doesn't make sense to me. But to each their own. As said, it doesn't make any strategic sense to have him there for a year if they are going with the proposed guide to Dorothy route. Any number of things could happen, it just doesn't make strategic sense to me. And explaining the time span, as simple as what Baum had, the time for the Scarecrow lasts a lot longer than it does for others. A day to him feels like years.
The best plan is...
Oz is I would say 35 years old right now.
The second film takes place 8 years later. He's 43 years old. This also serves as the introduction to Nick (35 years old). During this time the witches return. There are rumors of seeing the Wizard out and about, but no one knows if they're true or not. No one knows if he is a man anymore or a giant woman or a dragon. By the end of the film, the wicked witch over powers Evenora making her do her bidding. Nick becomes the Tin Man. And Oz fully goes into hiding becoming a full recluse which starts to eat away at him. I would like to see the Tin Man have less time elapse, but -- seeing as it were --
The third film takes place 7 years in the future. Oz is now 50 years old. HISTORY: All of the years of being a recluse has gotten into his mind and all the years of exile has gotten into the Tin Man. The world's become a much darker place after the witch overthrew Evanora. Everyone is afraid of her. She spends all her time in a dark castle terrorizing the people. She has also tried to attack the Emerald City but could not find Oz anywhere (he's behind a safe door or some area she can't trespass into or knows about). Oz and Glinda hear of another prophecy that someone the wizard has a personal connection with will return. This is their chance to finally redeem themselves. They set about making the Scarecrow. Oz thinks it will work and with Glinda's help it comes to life. FILM TAKES PLACE 24 HOURS LATER: The following day the house crashes carrying Dorothy onto Evanora who was sent by Theodora to attack Glinda. Despite the wicked witch being angry at her sister, she is seriously mad that her sister's been killed and finds it a matter of personal duty to revenge her death. Meanwhile Oz discovers that Dorothy's aunt is Annie! Over the course of the classic story, we have Oz and Theodora playing a game of "chess" and some of their actions explain the side missions from the book as things our new heroes come across.
As said, I see one year as being way too long because there a number of things that could happen. A couple of months would be the longest I'd give it. Because it's not just the crows it's - what if somebody else finds it, for example.
But it doesn't make sense to me if you don't have an actual reason why you don't think it would make sense, because I've already explained why there shouldn't be any unknowns. My reasoning makes sense.
I guess that's just my problem, though. It's just that gut feelings are not always right.
Who would you have preferred? RDJ?
That somebody could take the Scarecrow, that if it was alive all that time it could call out to somebody else who was walking by. You say my gut is wrong, yet I'm saying your gut is wrong. And now we know why there are multiple adaptations of the same source material that turn out sometimes radically different.![]()