Hollywood is currently deciding on which of the four options to choose from to remake the Wizard of Oz. The 1939 classic has been a part of American culture for so long that it is hard to believe the time has come to redo the movie.
Each movie studio, including Disney, has their version of the remake in mind. One studio is considering a return to Oz by the granddaughter of Dorothy for a new adventure. One studio wants to make a prequel and one wants to show how the wizard came to be in Oz. A remake of the original is being considered as well.
Gossip and rumors are flying through Hollywood and the internet. The Wizard of Oz was thought to be one of the no-touch classics that no studio would ever try to replicate. The success of Alice in Wonderland has Hollywood rethinking this decision as movie-goers flock to see the new version of the old fairy tale. There is no word if the movie will be in 3D or not. Hollywood has enjoyed the success that 3D has given them over the last few years. Oz buffs will continue to watch intently to see if the old classic will once again dominate the movie screen.
Can Hollywood not come up with any original ideas for movies? Must they keep ruining all the old classics? What is going to be left for our children and watch and wonder over. I grew up with “Originals” which I guess makes me old, but they were and still are the best. Hollywood come up with new classics. Leave the old ones alone.
You are old. Your old movies were based on old books more often than not. Stop living in the past and worrying about ‘the children’. I assure you, they will be ok without watching a dated version of the Wizard of Oz vs a newer version.
wizard of OZ series was written in 1890′s and quite frankly how about a version that actually fits the books or at least be true to L.Frank Baum’s characterizations. The books are much different than any version thus far. I live in OZ Land otherwise known as central NY. Try reading.
Jonesy you may not be old, but you are ignorant.
I know there are great writers with wonderful ideas out there….WHERE ARE THEY????? You can’t remake this film. It’s perfectly wonderful the way it is. It’s an all-time classic. Leave it alone and try to think up some ORIGINAL ideas. PLEASE????
The Wizard of Oz was never an original idea as it was taken from a novel. I would actually like to see them remake The Wizard of Oz, and I rarely like to see remakes. If they don’t make it a musical, and make it closer to the book, then I think it would be a very good movie. The “original” movie overlooked a lot of what the book was actually about. I don’t know…
Oh no another good movie is about to be turned in to crap.
I can’t believe they’re redoing this one! Alice in Wonderland can’t be used as a comparison, it was a Disney CARTOON and has been turned into a creepy movie that is mostly for adults as far as I can see. They will destroy this movie if they try and redo it, even if for no other reason than the kind of talent required to nail it doesn’t exist today. Maybe a spin on it? Sure… I don’t know, I think all of the graphics, etc. today have taken away from our children’s imaginations, creativness and just “belief”. I’m sickened at the thought of them doing this. Anything for a buck I guess.
“…even if for no other reason than the kind of talent required to nail it doesn’t exist today.”
Are you kidding me? No one alive has the talent to successfully portray Alice or the supporting cast. Really?? Wow. So nobody can ‘nail’ Dorothy’s character or any of the other roles. Man there are people with really narrow minds when it comes to their ‘classics’.
To Josey: By all means, name just one ‘starlett’ with the voice and talent of Judy Garland. You probably have a replacement for Van Gogh as well, I suppose? Or maybe Jackie Robinson? Maybe repaint the Sistine Chapel, make it more commerially appealing? If you think it can be done, PLEASE find the world another Thomas Jefferson. THAT we could use.
They’re doing it for the money, not the art. Alice in Wonderland is a novelty, it won’t stand the test of time. They’re still showing Gene Wilder’s Willie Wonka more than Johnny Depp’s. Wilder’s is a better movie. Leave the classics alone.
Talent required to do it? The Wizard of Oz should have never been a musical… and Dorothy is supposed to be a little girl. Yes, the movie is a classic, but it’s a slap in the face to the author of the book. If they are going to do something with The Wizard of Oz, then they should make it as close to the book as possible and not just rape a classic novel for profit like they did with the movie.
I am tired of this 3D bandwagon! As for remaking a movie? Here’s a rule. If the original is so good that you even consider remaking it…DON’T! It is a slap in the face to the original. It is like when artists re-record a song, giving it their own unique spin. It is nothing more than an insult to the original. Hire some REAL creative genius Hollywood! Give us something unique, not a rehash of a movie which we’ve already seen.
I’m so disappointed they are trying to do a remake. They’ve already tried making a sequal to the movie, and it had no chance of being as wonderful as the original.
Once again, Hollywood has no originality and will simpley rape and kill a beloved classic. They suck!
Kind of like how they raped and killed a classic novel with a movie that pretty much ignored everything the book was about?
you both worry to much. just because they remake a classic doesnt mean the original goes away. jeez, have an open mind about things!
Exactly. If it is ‘so terrible’ it will flop and people will still have the old one. A remake doesn’t wipe away a the original.
An original and one of a kind…..Hollywood can NEVER do it justice….
If they are doing a Wizard of Oz movie why not do a movie version of “Wicked!” That Broadway play was soo great they should put it on screen.
Why is everyone remaking movies all the sudden?They’re running out of ideas I guess!I’d like to see some original movies for a change.Theirs not that many remakes out there that even compare to the originals!
Redoing a classic is a huge undertaking. I think I can bear-up the challenge to redo the Wizard of Oz. It won’t be easy!!
well that would be great , have an idea for the characters, Dorothy to be played by a mouseketeer that can sing
the wizard by Robert Deniro or Jack Nicholson
the scarecrow by Owen Wilson
the tin man by Steve Buscesmi
the Cowardly Lion by Jack Black
Glenda the good witch Drew Barrymore
the wicked witch by Stockard Channing
Hey Eddie,
Excellent picks for the roles.
I say let them remake it. With today’s abilities in high tech effects; it should be great. The classic still exists, personally I’d like to see Pelosi cast as the WW of the W.
As my granchildren know, Wizard of Oz is my favorite movie. They will call me to let me know it is on. A seuqel would not be an upset to me. The idea of Dorothy’s granddaughter arriving in Oz could actually be considered an update on Dorothy. What happened to Dorothy after her trip back the her Aunt and Uncle’s house?
Companies now see fit to film remakes, faux remakes that are not really in line with the original, and the ever popular PREQUEL!!
Here’s a thought Hollywood…make a movie faithfully based on the book. Humm….what a novel idea. Thats the movie I would want to see. Of course it will be so full of CG effects and be so over done that it wont be worth seeing anyway. Stick with the origanal material and simple is better.
what are cg effects?
cg = computer generated
Ugh, i agree, they’re going to ruin the movie, heck if anything make Wicked into a movie. They’ve been talking about it for awhile, just do it already. I don’t know why people always try and fix something that’s not broken! Oy!
…really. Can you explain how a remake ruins the original? How exactly does that happen? Do you watch the remake and hate it so much that you now hate the original. It really seems like a knee jerk reaction to hate a remake that hasn’t even come out yet. Way to have a closed mind.
within today’s technology (with special regard to computer graphics) lies a revolutionary opportunity for writers, screenwriters, producers, composers, directors, editors and, the consumers of filmfare to experience and share in the forward developement of media artforms.
i feel that it is logically inappropriate to presuppose that a remake of a film classic will demean it’s original depth of performance excellence.
I am optimistic in my anticipation of future endeavors of the many commited professionals in the entertainment industry and always pay attention to each of the many components that comprise their final products.
No, no, a thousand times no. there are some movies that need to be left alone and that’s one of them.
I really am a wizard of Oz buff, and I look forward to the concept of the grandaughter reurning to oz, (a new spin) or how the wizard got there, (basically a prequel) but to do a remake of the original wouldnt work. Stop looking at it as a remake and more of as a continuation of a classic story.
Why can’t you people (Hollywood) leave well enough alone. We all know that in the past sequels are not as good.
people forget it was already remade- The Wiz with Michael jackson and Diana Ross- and it was horrible!
When the 1939 ‘Wizard’ was being made, fans of the books were afraid that the movie would be nothing like their favorite stories. They were right, but the movie is still a classic.
Not all of the Oz books by L. Frank Baum featured Dorothy. I’d like to see a faithful adaptation of the source material, but with modern special effects – like Peter Jackson did with Lord Of The Rings.
On another note… I’d like to see Sarah Palin cast as the Wicked Witch of the East… if only to see a house fall on her.
There was already a remake with her granddaughter called the Tin Man was actually quite good great great grandaughter if I recall Dorthy was refered to as the Gray Gale and her hall of record memory was the black and white. I believe it was a miniseries on Sci Fi.
I also point out that doing Wicked or Son of a Witch or A lion Among Men might be great too.
patrick,
there you go being a politico when this thread of discussion has nothing to do with ‘political attitude’.
respectfully,
mario,
personally i don’t consider ‘the wiz’ as a legitimate remake of the classic film.
cheers,
Hollywood is such a wasteful place, so over blown, so ridiculous. With all that’s happening on our planet, things that ultimately affect every living thing, Hollywood is one of the least important, most self important fallacies in existence.
Our press really needs to report what matters.
I really liked the movie RETURN TO OZ as an attempt to do a faithful continuation of the story, closer in line to the original books. If a remake of THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ was faithful to the original material that would be fine. Or perhaps a film version of the book BARNSTORMER IN OZ featuring a descendent of Dorothy. Or a film version of WICKED.
Last I heard – Disney had the rights to the OZ books, at least the original novels by Frank Baum. But there are so many other OZ books in the series, why not make a movie out of one of them. And MGM has the rights to “the ruby slippers” but in the original books they were “the silver shoes.”
Truth be told, Hollywood should come up with something more original than a straight remake.
Patrick, You are just sad and lonley because you know you could never be elected because of your character.
with respect to a previous post,
quite often it isn’t a practical or attainable goal to produce a film which depicts as much of the essence contained in the dialogue of such novels as ‘dances with wolves’.
i first watched the film and aftewards read the book. this writintg should serve as a prime example of literary compositions that cannot be further clarrified in any manner.
in short, what i intend to say is that some stories tell all of what the tale is about and others leave the reader to extrapolate the meaning.
It was a no touch, because you can’t recreate the magic that was created the FIRST time around! Leave well enough alone and TRY to improve some other movie, if you are running out of ideas! Seriously!
I cannot believe they are thinking of re-doing this movie! I am a young person, and I love this movie, it was something I grew up watching with my grandmother! I love the new Alice In Wonderland, but the original was a cartoon, you cannot compare the two. I would not watch something that would show dorothy’s granddaughter as the main character and a prequel would just be silly all around. If they do it, do a remake, DO NOT try to change the story itself, I dont agree with any of the options in all honesty, but if they must do one I hope they do a remake and not a prequel or sequel, that would be silly.
If they’re basing the decision on the “success” of Alice, I hope they learn from their mistakes. “Alice in Wonderland” is a horrible movie, and should not replicate its success from last weekend. If they tell a new story, they need to tell a good one. If they decide to remake the old one, they better get it right.
I’ll say right now, if the casting goes Director = Tim Burton, Wizard = Johnny Depp, and Wicked Witch of the West = Helena Bonham Carter, it will a) be another horrible movie, and b) I’ll probably see it anyway.
Ok, making a prequel or sequel might not be too bad, but if they remake the movie chances are it will be horrible. Can’t they just leave the classic alone?? What famous actor or actress would want to try to duplicate such a popular and loved movie, the new one will never compare to the original.
first off the perceived need to colorise or remake classics is pure B.S. they stand on their merits and do not need impoving. second, the sequel with a descendant of dorothy has been made in the movie tinman and was done extremely well – without butcher the memory of the original. and for those who forgot – the remake of lost horizon sucked, steve martin pailed to peter sellers remaking the pink panther and planet of the apes destroyed the subtle social message and gave us Ape-rahm lincoln! hows this for a thought – take a bad old movie and make a great remake – like little shop of horrors. leave the great and fix the rest if you must.
Remaking films has become Hollywood’s terrible habit. But Baum wrote several Oz books. The movie we’re used to is based on just one of them and it sounds like a couple of options simply dip into the other books. I’m okay with that. I just hate the idea of taking great films and making bad remakes of them (Oceans 11, Pelham, etc).
This film should not be “remade,” for obvious reasons, the least of which is “comparison.” Visions of Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest come to mind, or for that matter the disaster that was “The Wiz.” However, that being said, I would love to see “Wicked” put to film, or as one of the studios is considering, the story of how the Wizard came to be in Oz in the first place, or even a granddaughter going back if done correctly. I cannot deny that I would love to see what todays technology could do with the tornado, the Munchkins, the Witch herself, the Emerald City. Imagine! I’m thinking of the Granddaughter hearing Grandma’s (Dorothy’s) story, maybe done in flashbacks, keeping the characters as they were and going crazy with the Cinematography. Surely they could do it all with computer. Then after the story the Granddaughter goes to bed and has this wonderful dream about Oz, but her way, you know. And discovers that the Wicked Witch of the West isn’t dead at all which is how “Wicked” is played out at the end. They don’t actually tell you or show you what happens when Dorothy throws the bucket of water at her, but you have to assume that she missed, cause she ain’t dead. Kind of a hoot to have the Granddaughter wake up from the dream only to tell Grandma (Dorothy), guess what Gran, she ain’t dead! I don’t know but if the right Director and cast are somehow pulled together it could be great fun, or just as equally a chance it is another disaster! Guess we will see.
This would be a great cast for the remake of the Wizard Of Oz movie.
Dorothy by EMMA ROBERTS or SELENA GOMEZ
the wizard by CHRISTOPHER LLOYDD or BILL MURRAY
the scarecrow by JIM CARREY
the tin man by JACK HUGHMAN or EDDIE MURPHY
the Cowardly Lion by ROBIN WILLIAMS or JACK BLACK
The good witch by MERYL STREEP or JULIE ANDREWS
The wicked witch by LILY TOMLIN or JUDI DENCH
I’m Canadian ay? Who cares if they remake the movie ay.
The Wizard commandeth no more 3D, it gives the Wizard a headache, is a ploy by cinemas to tack on another $10 profit and that bitch the Wicked Witch will jump off the screen and f up America….
Seriously though, enough with the 3D, it sucked in the 50′s it sucks now!
Maybe some of you people should stop worrying about Hollywood re-making old movies and worry about your grammar. As far as children are concerned, I’d be embarrassed if I let my daughter see me blabbing off useless comments with the most despicable language and grammar this man can imagine. Besides, if you don’t like the thought of a ‘Wizard Of Oz’ re-make, don’t f***ing watch it! Get up off your ass and do something productive! The children…please.
Hollywood isn’t asking any of you dumb asses if they are “allowed” to remake this movie or not.
So quit with your stupid, “NO NO!”
You aren’t the ones to give them permission..
Besides…Steven Spielburg is the only one that could “possibly” make that movie any better than what it was originally. HA!