The Good News: Warners is looking at creating a Wizard of Oz film franchise, to carry on audiences from Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.
The Bad News: They’re bringing in Todd McFarlane, who wants a “dark, edgy, and muscular PG-13,” not singing Munchkins.
The Good News: Okay, I’m willing to pass on the singing Munchkins. And I was apparently one of three people who liked Disney’s “dark, edgy” Return to Oz back in ’85 — plenty of wonderment and magic, but a dollop of scariness and dark fantasy.
The Bad News: But — Todd McFarlane? The guy who came out with “Bondage Dorothy” and “Evil Mutant Toto” action figures?
The Good News: There’s a ton of material out there in the way of Oz books — and for a generation growing up that thinks that Oz is about the nastiness of life in an Australian prison, that’s probably a good thing.
The Bad News: Todd “Spawn” McFarlane?
On the bright side, it appears that though McFarlane was involved in some of the original concept that got Warners interested, Josh Olson did the pitch and is doing the actual screenwriting. And he seems to have the right idea.
Olson has something a little tamer, and PG, in mind. “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 ‘Harry Potter’ dark, not ‘Seven’ dark.
It also seems that, like the Disney offering, the new film will start off more as a sequel to the classic 1939 film than as a replacement.
Olson was keeping plot specifics to himself but said the film will be closer to a sequel than a remake. “We still want to take advantage of the first film, which might be the most beloved of all time, and rely on its place in your cultural memory to bubble beneath the surface,” Olson said. “A lot of the plot is mine, but the characters are all Baum.”
Indeed, cognizant of the controversy of McFarlane, Olson is distancing himself from the comics bad boy.
While it was Todd’s idea to bring back Oz, and that idea sparked this whole process, I’ve never met him, never heard his take, and am not writing this script with anyone else. I love the Baum books, and leapt at the chance to bring those amazing stories and characters to a new audience.
The story I pitched to Warners – and that they hired me to write – is, I believe, faithful to the spirit and tone of those amazing books. I think even Todd would be happy to tell you, this movie has no connection whatsoever to those action figures, and when I say it will be darker, do not expect it to go beyond Harry Potter dark.
You’ll be seeing many of your favorite characters return from the classic film, as well as meeting loads of Baum’s other great characters. While I’ve created my own distinct plot, it’s all built around Baum’s characters, Baum’s world, and Baum’s vision. I think Oz fans will recognize my love for the source material, and will be very happy with the finished result.
We’ll see. And I hope so.
Yes I too Liked the Return to Oz.
I would also watch a Pan’s Labyrinth version that a more McFarlane inspired version would be like.
Loves the Spawn.
There’s a news show called “HypaSpace” that runs on the Space sci-fi channel in Canada. They have a toy feature where they interview a woman who works at one of Toronto’s biggest toy/comics/geekery shops.
When presenting the McFarlane Oz toys, she refused to show the Bondage Dorothy, and informed the viewers that, if interested, they’d have to ask to see it in person. But her expression suggested that she wouldn’t welcome the queries [grin].
McFarlane is (to my eye and in my experience) sort of the “shock jock” of the comics et al. industry. The man has talent, but he seems a lot more interested in making a splash than in coming up with something worthwhile.
Count me as the fourth person who liked “Return to Oz”. Wish I could get a good copy on DVD (extras, widescreen, etc.). Maybe this film will get somebody out there to bring “Return” out in the form it deserves.