Today is all Disney. Yes, sorry.
But this is really interesting! I loved Disney's Return to Oz from the 80's with Fairuza Balk. The designs for the movie were beautiful. While people love the 1930's Judy Garland Wizard of Oz, I love the original books from Frank Baum and his vision. Return of Oz, even though not being exactly literal to the books (it meshed together two books and merged wannabe witch Mombi and the multiple head queen) but it remained true to them--much like Alfonso Cuaron with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Anyhoo, I knew there is a lot of hidden Return of Oz stuff in Disney resorts but didn't know Walt Disney himself got rights to 11 of the books in the 50's and actually planned movies, animated films, theme park attraction, etc. In fact, 'The Rainbow Road to Oz' with Annette Funicello turned into 'Babes in Toyland' with Annette Funicello. He had plans of Oz-theme part in the Storybook Land Canal Boat ride, it was scrapped but Oz did end up in a way in Disneyland Paris, Return of Oz is still in its version of the Storybook Land Canal Boat.
Jim Hill: Disney's long, long journey to OzExclusive photos there!
My dream would be a remake of Wizard of the Oz. Well, to start all over again. All this interest in fantasy movies (Bridge to Terabithia, The Chronicles of Narnia, Eragon) I am surprised a movie isn't in the works. Most people I have talked to doesn't want a movie. The public consciousness only has the 30's Oz film in their head so they bored with that and makes their own variations of it. Evidence, the new Oz miniseries about the Tin Woodsman coming up for the Sci-Fi channel and that canceled Tim Burton pilot about a modern housewife stranded in Oz. There is also work on McGee's Oz, which is like the twisted Alice. Production of the Oz game is on hold, McGee says that there is game publishing houses have a lack of interest in new ideas and products without established market names. In 2004, McGee was set to write the script for the Oz films, which is said to be a trilogy that will be produced by Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer. Who knows if it will pull through.
