Happy New Year, and a countdown to the return to Oz

Happy New Year!

Disney is back again trying to replicate the success of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland with a similar classic fantasy effort, Oz the Great and Powerful. If you’re not a fan of prequels you will probably avoid this one as it is a prequel to the greatest fantasy film of all time, The Wizard of Oz. The plus is that this film will adapt L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz so those loyal to the fourteen Oz novels may appreciate this effort. The other plus is that it will be helmed by director Sam Raimi who knows fantasy films as well as anyone, having directed the Spider-man film trilogy and serving as producer of Timecop, Hercules the Legendary Journeys, Xena Warrior Princess, and Legend of the Seeker.

You also can’t brush off the exceptional cast. James Franco (X-Files, Spider-man, Milk, Rise of the Planet of the Apes) plays a young Oscar Diggs aka The Wizard of Oz himself. Michelle Williams (Station Agent, Brokeback Mountain) plays the famous Glinda the Good Witch, familiar to fans of the classic movie. New characters Theodora is played by Mila Kunis (That ’70s Show) and Evanora is played by Rachel Weisz (The Mummy, Constantine, Beautiful Creatures, The Constant Gardener). Classic Sam Raimi inner circle pals Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead films, Xena Warrior Princess, Burn Notice) plays Gore the Dark Wizard and Ted Raimi (Alien Nation, Twin Peaks, Hercules, Xena, Legend of the Seeker) plays the Skeptic and Tinker.

Check out the special New Years’ themed countdown trailer for Oz the Great and Powerful: