NEW YORK 鈥� Are we off to see the wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz 鈥� again?
New Line Cinema is making a new adaptation of 鈥淭he Wonderful Wizard of Oz,鈥� L. Frank Baum children鈥檚 novel, with Nicole Kassell, the visual architect of 鈥淲atchmen,鈥� set to direct. Baum's 1900 novel, now in the public domain, has spawned many adaptations over the years 鈥� most famously, of course, the 1939 MGM musical by Victor Fleming and starring Judy Garland.
Kassell's version will not be a musical. New Line said it will be a 鈥渇resh take鈥� and a 鈥渞eimagining鈥� of 鈥淭he Wonderful Wizard of Oz.鈥� It will have some advantages, too, since Warner Bros. owns New Line and the 1939 film. That means it can use some trademarked elements like the ruby slippers.
鈥淲hile the 1939 musical is part of my DNA, I am exhilarated and humbled by the responsibility of re-imagining such a legendary tale," said Kassell in a statement. "The opportunity to examine the original themes 鈥� the quest for courage, love, wisdom and home 鈥� feels more timely and urgent than ever. These are profoundly iconic shoes to fill, and I am eager to dance alongside these heroes of my childhood as we pave a newly minted yellow brick road!鈥�
Kassell is an executive producer of HBO's 鈥淲atchmen鈥� and directed three of its nine episodes, including the pilot. She has worked primarily in television but directed the feature films 鈥淭he Woodsman" and 鈥淎 Little Bit of Heaven."
The most recent 鈥淲izard of Oz鈥� film came from the Walt Disney Co.'s 鈥淥z the Great and Powerful鈥� in 2013. Directed by Sam Raimi and starring James Franco, it was set 20 years before the events of the 1939 classic.
Jake Coyle, The Associated Press
