Those who have ever wondered what the Wizard of Oz was like before he was a wizard will finally have their curiosities satisfied. Walt Disney Pictures has started production at the brand-new Raleigh Studios in Pontiac, MI. Directed by Sam Raimi, Oz The Great and Powerful will feature an amazing cast of talented veteran actors. James Franco plays the young wizard. Mila Kunis is Theodora whose sister Evanora is played by Rachel Weisz. Glinda, the Good Witch, is played by Michelle Williams. Other featured talent includes Zach Braff and Joey King who will voice some of the CGI characters.
As an origin story of sorts, Oz The Great and Powerful follows small-time circus magician Oscar Diggs (James Franco) as he’s snatched from Kansas and sent to the Land of Oz where he’s able to ply his trade in a very lucrative manner. Things go awry, however, when Diggs is confronted by the three witches who disbelieve his wizardry. The situation deteriorates further when Diggs is embroiled in the dire problems sweeping the land and it’s up to him to become the wizard Oz has been waiting for before it’s too late.
Oz The Great and Powerful is produced by Joe Roth, Grant Curtis, Philip Steuer and Palak Patel. The screenplay is written by Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire.
Look for Oz The Great and Powerful in theaters on March 8, 2013.