Todd McFarlane's Wizard of Oz sequel

[chaseter]

Why would I want to see Dorothy portrayed as Ripley??? WTF!?

Pass.

 

[Bim]

I dunno about this

 

[Nathan]

Why would I want to see Dorothy portrayed as Ripley??? WTF!?

Pass.

Don't tell me you wouldn't love to see Dorothy rip a Flying Monkey's tongue out.

 

[Gabe99]

McFARLANE’S TWISTED LAND OF OZ


From /film August 22nd, 2007: Todd McFarlane’s Oz to the Big Screen

Well apparently Warner Bros and Village Roadshow Pictures have acquired the idea from Todd McFarlane. The revisionist take on L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz will be titled “OZ”. A History of Violence screenwriter Josh Olsen is set to write the script, which he claims will be more of a sequel than a remake. The toys are PG-13, if not R-Rated, and the film project will be toned down.

“I saw those toys, and Dorothy as some bondage queen isn’t something I want to do,” Olson told Variety. “The appealing thing about the Baum books to me is how wildly imaginative they are. There are crazy characters from amazing places. I want this to be ‘H@rry Potter’ dark, not ‘Seven’ dark.”

McFarlane hopes to create a new interpretation that has “a 2007 wow factor” which can capture the audience that went to see Lord of the Rings. McFarlane said: “You’ve still got Dorothy trapped in an odd place, but she’s much closer to the Ripley from ‘Alien’ than a helpless singing girl.”

From /film September 5th, 2007: Michael Bay Originally Attached to Todd McFarlane’s Oz?

A couple weeks ago we told you that Warner Bros and Village Roadshow Pictures bought the rights to make a movie based on Todd McFarlane’s revisionist take on L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz will be titled “OZ”. Well, IGN spoke with McFarlane about the new movie project and it was revealed that Michael Bay was originally somehow attached to the project.

“I came up with this huge, massive Lord of the Rings epic. It actually got fairly tight and succinct.”"We actually went in there and for a while had Michael Bay going around with me pitching it,” revealed McFarlane. “We had props, visuals, toys, storyboards, posters… I made little models of the city. I think it overwhelmed them. They said that they needed 20 minutes for a pitch and I was like, ‘I need at least an hour and fifteen. I’m going to act out this whole movie and show you the whole thing because this movie is going to cost at least $140 million to make. I don’t want you to not know what you’re buying.’”

It took a long while until one of the movie studios actually bit. And McFarlane also says that the movie will probably be a lot lighter than the original concept seen in the action figure line.

From /film 08/23/2009: Dakota Fanning Off to Oz as Todd McFarlane’s Dorothy?


From MTV 08/24/09:
Todd McFarlane To Produce New 'Wizard Of Oz' Movie, Compares Tone To 'Alien'

But fans shouldn't necessarily expect singing Lollipop Guilds in this incarnation. McFarlane indicates Fanning's potential Dorothy won't be played as the naïve pushover or sweet voice of innocence she's been presented as in previous incarnations.

“You’ve still got Dorothy trapped in an odd place, but she’s much closer to the Ripley character from 'Alien' [played by Sigourney Weaver] than a helpless singing girl," said McFarlane.

McFarlane's been busy working to relaunch Hollywood properties of late, having also reportedly begun writing a new "Spawn" screenplay. So far, though, the writer hasn't indicated direct involvement with an "Oz" script.

While Disney's 1985 sequel "Return to Oz," may have already treaded on some of the franchise's more frightening fare, as a spiritual successor to the original, it still presented the world of Oz though the eyes of a less than contemporary Dorothy. Of course, the film was based on a combination of two original Oz books, while the new film will reimagine the property with an original storyline.

From EMPIRE 01 September 2009:
Exclusive: Todd McFarlane Talks Oz

On going "dark":
I think my "Twisted" version is a little scary for Warners to embrace. I essentially pitched Lord of the Rings. It was big, it was bold and it wasn't a very pretty place. It was badass! There’s no Baum in it at all. When they bought it from me, my thing was, turn off the MGM mindset. It's a public domain property, let's go invent some cool new ideas, which basically will surprise people. What's going to get a new generation to go look at Oz is if you reinvent it on some level. Not every single level, but some of them have to be new. Shut down your preconceived notions. For me, you should be looking at an isolated movie, that, oh, by the way, happens to be Oz. To get the new audience you're going to have to put some edges on this thing. My version would rock! But they're all like, "We're spending $100m here, we can't go totally nuts, Todd!" So I've told them that the movie I like is the one they're willing to make!

 

[Spade]

McFarlane, best known for creating the Spawn comic and for buying a really overpriced baseball

I laughed. Hard.

But yeah, this sounds kinda re-re. There's a difference between adding dark elements to create an engaging story and making something disturbing out of a fun story 'cause you can.

 

[matrix_ghost]

I'm starting to think that "dark" really is WB's new motto.

Tim Burton is about to create a generation of new psychiatric patients who all will suffer from nightmares once they see his version of Alice In Wonderland raping their eyes

And Wizard Of Oz done in fetish gear

Seriously

 

[Nathan]

And I want more. We had enough of the kid friendly disney movies, I want adult takes on these movies. Cinderella is probably another movie that could be pretty dark. I heard in the original books, to fit in the glass shoes, the sisters cut off their heels and toes. And the evil Step-mother was later punished to walk in hot glass shoes.

 

[matrix_ghost]

And I want more. We had enough of the kid friendly disney movies, I want adult takes on these movies. Cinderella is probably another movie that could be pretty dark. I heard in the original books, to fit in the glass shoes, the sisters cut off their heels and toes. And the evil Step-mother was later punished to walk in hot glass shoes.

*shakes head*
Well thank god for guys like Miyazaki who can create movies that everyone can enjoy

 

[Nathan]

I just don't want to watch the same movie every couple decades. We already know the family friendly movies. Give us something new. Give us movies with stories how they were originally written.

 

[Gabe99]

From AICN:
Additional info on that WIZARD OF OZ Warner Bros Project! From The Screenwriter...

I wanted to clear up some confusion and misinformation in the piece. You can feel free to post this, if you'd like:
------
Just to clarify - the Oz project I wrote wasn't "twisted" in any way. McFarlane's involvement with the project and the fact that his line of toys live up to that epithet has led to a lot of confusion in the last couple years. The pitch I sold to Warners was entirely my own, based on events in several of the Baum books, combined with a story of my own creation. The entire project began when McFarlane approached the producers with the idea of doing a new version of Oz. For various reasons, they chose not to go with his approach, however, and in a conversation with the producers, I told them I thought a sequel to Oz was a fascinating - if daunting - idea. I spun a few half-baked ideas in the meeting that they really liked, then went off to craft a pitch for a film, which we then took to Warners and sold. Mine is more of a sequel that was - or was at least intended to be - a return to the magical land of Oz that would work well for both fans of the MGM classic, and fans of Baum's amazing books. My nieces and nephew are always complaining that they aren't allowed to see Uncle Josh's work, and I wanted to do something the whole family could enjoy. If you want to think of it in terms of what's out there, I was going for a Harry Potter tonality. The last I heard, they were looking for writers to make it funnier, which is fine. You don't enter into a project like a sequel to The Wizard of Oz for a major studio believing you'll absolutely be the only writer on the project.

But for the record, the project we sold Warners on was in no way based on the Twisted Land of Oz figures. There was no bondage Dorothy, and no gigantic Toto monster. I've never met Todd, never heard his take, and we had one brief telephone conversation after I sold the pitch in which no details of the project were discussed. To be honest, I don't even know if he's read my script.

Oz was a labor of love for me - an attempt to give something back to a creator who had such a big impact on my childhood - as well as one hell of an intimidating job. If you can write "I think we're in Oz" for a character named Dorothy Gale, and not have at least a moment's rush of terror and shock at the size of the mountain you're climbing - not to mention your own hubris - you're lying.

I'm proud of my work on Oz, and my experience working with Basil Iwanyk and everyone at Warners was nothing but exceptional. I look forward to the next one.

Thanks for letting me clarify.

Best,

Josh Olson

 

[bullets]

I think we could do without the bondage Dorothy .

 

[Gabe99]

From First Showing:
Details Emerge on Josh Olson's Wizard of Oz Follow-Up Flick

Awhile back, Spawn creator Todd McFarlane spoke of an idea to adapt his Twisted Land of Oz action figure line into a narrative sequel to 1939's classic The Wizard of Oz. Later, word came that A History of Violence screenwriter Josh Olson had stepped up to pen the follow-up, but McFarlane wanted it to be darker saying he "was curious about how we went from what I pitched to what I called Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." However, Olson has said he was never hired to write from McFarlane's ideas and has confirmed (via MTV) some killer details on his own script Oz: Return to the Emerald City uncovered by Pajiba.

It’s a modern-day sequel. The story centers on Dorothy Neil, a bright and ambitious young lawyer for a prestigious law firm in Chicago. Neil is the grand-daughter of Dorothy Gale, who is now an old woman living in Kansas and telling her tales about her time in the land of Oz to a new generation of kids. However, trouble is afoot in Oz, as a new witch is destroying the magic that keeps the entire place running. While babysitting her boss' kid, the kid and Dorothy Neil are brought back to Oz and united with the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow and tasked with killing an evil witch and restoring order in Oz.

From MTV:
EXCLUSIVE: 'Oz: The Return To Emerald City' Does Indeed Originate From Josh Olson's Script

 

[Lighthouse]

McFarlane was lying off his ass? Shocker. Surprised he didn't talk about the Spawn movie he's "making".

 

[Kurosawa]

Sounds like crap. Pass.

 

[Webhead2006]

inresting

 

[Octoberist]

what about...(wait for it) a faitful version of Oz instead?

 

[Webhead2006]

i am sure someone one of these days will do a more faithful to the books adaption to Oz.

 

[Watson]

what about...(wait for it) a faitful version of Oz instead?

How dare you not want a sexy new reboot!

 

[Octoberist]

you mean a S & M version? Yeah, maybe in a porno but not in a mainstream movie like this. Kinda tacky. hehe

 

[Raiden]

I think Josh Olson's idea for Oz sounds much better than McFarlane's Twisted Oz concept.

 

[Octoberist]

and if McFarlane is involve, I expect him to talk about it for the next decade.

Seriously, look at Spawn 2. Every 4 months in the past decade, he would bring it up and it's always the same info (It's a horror movie, low key, etc) and nothing ever happens.

 

[GhostPoet]

Going dark just because just doesn't work. There needs to be a balance between dark AND light. If every character is dark and gritty, then it just comes off flat and boring.

 

[Gabe99]

From 24 Frames:
A new 'Wizard of Oz' could make its way down the Hollywood road

EXCLUSIVE: Fresh off Disney's massive success with Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland," Warner Bros. wants to remake another childhood classic. Like, really classic.

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."

A second "Wizard of Oz" project, set up at Warners proper, skews a little darker -- it's written by "A History of Violence" screenwriter Josh Olson and focuses on a granddaughter of Dorothy who returns to Oz to fight evil. "Clash of the Titans" producer Basil Iwanyk and his Thunder Road Pictures are behind that one. ("Spawn" creator Todd MacFarlane is potentially involved in a producerial capacity, to give you some idea of the tone.)

From Collider:
Is Warner Bros. Really Off To See a New WIZARD OF OZ? Not So Fast.

According to The Los Angeles Times, one of the two following Wizard of Oz projects could potentially grace the big screen in the near future. The first, simply called Oz, has been penned by screenwriter Darren Lemke, one of the co-writers on the upcoming, Shrek Forever After. The other is untitled, as of yet, but seems to be less of a remake and more of a sequel, in which the granddaughter of Dorothy makes a trip to Oz do battle against evil. With Josh Olson (A History of Violence) serving as screenwriter and Todd MacFarlane (creator of Spawn) on board to produce, this version seems to be coming from a much darker place.

Steve here with an update to Max’s story. When the article was posted on the L.A. Times, I contacted a few of my sources and found out while the info in the article is true, their hasn’t been active movement on either property for over a year. The way my sources spoke, it’s a hit ****ing article on very old news. So please don’t go thinking a new Wizard of Oz movie is right around the corner, as nothing is happening on either project right now.

 

[Raiden]

Hollywood Prepares for Dueling 'Wizard of Oz' Remakes

With re-imaginings and reboots being the keyword for every movie being churned around Hollywood's grist mill, it's no surprise that they're turning to L. Frank Baum and The Wizard of Oz for some fresh content to churn around. According to The LA Times, Warner Bros and New Line (blood brothers) are both looking at remakes of The Wizard of Oz in the hopes of grabbing some of that sweet cash that Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland is raking in.

Warner Bros' Oz is very much taking the Alice route. Written by Josh Olson, and produced by Basil Iwanyk, it centers on a granddaughter of Dorothy returning to Oz to vanquish evil. Todd McFarlane is involved somehow, either as producer or consultant which suggests they're really inspired by his Twisted Land of Oz series. (That link is a bit NSFW.) Who wants to see S&M Dorothy and a monster, flesh-hooked Toto? Hollywood might! Wheee!

New Line's project is a lot more mysterious. It has a script by Darren Lemke, but no title and it doesn't come up on his IMDB credits at the moment. It's also being produced by Temple Hill who has made a killing with Twilight. Could it be something focusing on the later books of Baum's Oz series? Could they be attempting a more faithful adaptation of Baum's book? There's a difference between doing that and a straight-up remake of MGM's iconic film. For now, at least, no one is looking at doing that.

In the meantime, those who favor Broadway's re-imaginings over Hollywood's still have Wicked to look forward to. It's still in the works at Universal with producer Marc Platt, and all this fervent interest in all things Oz might just give it the fuel injection it needs to make it to the big screen.

I hope that part about Wicked is true.

 

[Majik1387]

The Wicked movie is moving forward, it's still in its adaptation stage though.


As for McFarlane's Oz, the only thing I can say is it will be a failure. The toys weren't that popular compared to other McFarlane toys.