'Oz: The Great And Powerful' Gets Synopsis, New Details

Though the Yellow Brick Road didn't lead to Anaheim over the weekend -- instead, it was snaking through the film set in Detroit -- director Sam Raimi and star James Franco sent over to the D23 convention a video that gave a quick first look and some new information about their upcoming "Wizard of Oz" prequel.

Titled "Oz: The Great and Powerful," the film, which began shooting last month, casts Franco as Oscar Diggs, a huckster magician who gets swept up in a storm and delivered to the beloved land of Oz. Boasting a cadre of major co-stars -- his assistant will be played by Zach Braff, while the land's witches include Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz -- and a director who specializes in epic, special effects-driven films, the project is in its early stages, but still offered some concept art for the fans and press members in attendance.

Here's a snippet of ComingSoon.net's detailed summary of those early pieces of art and video:

Concept art included several images of the lush, emerald green hills of Oz, with the yellow--but not always bricked--road winding it's way throughout. The impossible geography of Oz showed through as well, with arching rock formations seemingly miles long and a mountain shaped like an elephant. Pictures of the Emerald City showcased an art deco influence.

Disney also re-released an official synopsis for the film, which is due out March 8, 2013.

Walt Disney Pictures' fantastical adventure "Oz The Great and Powerful," directed by Sam Raimi, imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum's beloved character, the Wizard of Oz. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he's hit the jackpot--fame and fortune are his for the taking--that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone's been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity--and even a bit of wizardry--Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.

Comments

[Ricardo Valentin]

11:17 AM on 08/23/2011

I look forward to this movie. However nothing cant match for utter deviousness and machiaviellian plotting the origina Wizard of Oz movie. The stunning insidious way in which Glinda manipulated everyone into getting rid of every other wizard and witch in the land while maintaining an air of the sweetest benevolence is an unparelled achievement in fantasy movies.

[LeoChild]

12:10 AM on 08/23/2011

This isn't a remake. Its the story of how Oz became Oz. Trust me I know. My kid booked this film and I live in Michigan.

[prestonsturges]

05:31 PM on 08/22/2011

He's no Frank Morgan

[BillAnthony]

04:41 PM on 08/22/2011

It'll float right to the top of the punchbowl.

[Todd Kapner]

04:32 PM on 08/22/2011

This one has a lot of buzz, a great cast and a bit studio that is putting some big money behind it. I think this one could be a huge hit. Can't wait to see it.

[Mij13]

03:58 PM on 08/22/2011

This really doesn't sound like a good idea, but what do I know? I watched The Scarecrow mini-series a while back and found it pretty fascinating.

[Vahan Nisanian]

03:06 PM on 08/22/2011

For some reason, I'm more surprised about the choice of director, than I am about the fact that they're going to remake "Wizard of Oz". I was expecting Tim Burton, far more than I was expecting Sam Raimi. Sam Raimi is the last choice I had in mind.

[LMPE]

01:58 PM on 08/22/2011

Sam Raimi ought to just combine it with his most famous movies (that's the "Evil Dead" trilogy, for the uninitiated).

[shadowfall71]

03:26 PM on 08/22/2011

Actually, I think his most famous movies would be the Spider-Man trilogy.

[LMPE]

04:59 PM on 08/22/2011

To his hardcore fans, the "Evil Dead" trilogy is #1.

[Jessica Dan]

12:06 PM on 08/22/2011

Although I'm excited about any Oz project... I wonder why instead of "imagining" a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, why Hollywood doesn't become a bit more literate and make a movie of one of the other 13 Oz books that Baum wrote? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Oz_books)

[Nonpartay]

01:41 AM on 08/23/2011

That's what I was thinking. I read all those books in order as a kid and they were wonderful! I'm surprised someone hasn't at least done a mini-series out of some of them.

[jmslotnick]

11:56 AM on 08/22/2011

Heaven help us with this remake of and Oz story. Sorry, but will not go to see it. I do not like James Franco and I am so sick and tired of the studios, any of them, doing all to remakes of classic movies that most of the time the remakes are horrible. I guess there are no longer any writers who can think up new stories to do, or that Hollywood is so brain dead that they do not use new writers.

[John Mark Sappenfield]

03:05 PM on 08/22/2011

It's not a remake, it's the prequel, telling what led up to the incidents in "The Wizard of Oz." Please reread the article.

[jmslotnick]

03:47 PM on 08/22/2011

Prequal, schmequal, I still won't go to see it, but thank you for your input.

[Squiriferous]

11:48 AM on 08/22/2011

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

[Jose Hill]

11:42 AM on 08/22/2011

Is there going to be a movie version of the musical "Wicked:. I will pay whatever to see that.

[garrettspopcorn]

11:35 AM on 08/22/2011

garbage.

[kaysings]

11:02 AM on 08/22/2011

Hollywood just can't stand it...another take on Oz. There are already two remakes/rewrites/re-whatevers on the Snow White tale in the works. I'm sure a remake of Gone With the Wind is germinating somewhere as I write this.

All together now: There are no new ideas in Hollywood anymore.

[nbart71]

10:48 AM on 08/22/2011

I really can't stand Franco, but I have to say this has me intrigued.

[craftycrow]

11:12 AM on 08/22/2011

Yeah, whenever I see him, I just picture his character from Pineapple Express. Even before that movie came out, he just seems like that to me.

[LMPE]

01:58 PM on 08/22/2011

He was great in "Milk" and "Howl".