Disney & Oz Part III: Muppets, Raimi, Once and the future

As a lifelong fan of the magical world of Oz, I must confess that the journey of this enchanting land on the big and small screens has been as unpredictable as the Wicked Witch herself. Growing up with Judy Garland’s Dorothy and her ruby slippers, I never thought I’d see such a rich tapestry of stories unfold beyond the yellow brick road.

Return to Oz was a wild mess for Disney, but not the last time they’d use the Oz property!

It’s not surprising that Disney remained cautious about the Oz property, considering its rocky production and poor box office performance in the past. Even though they retain the rights, Disney has shown little interest in exploring Oz, possibly due to other studios developing projects such as Syfy’s contemporary fantasy adaptation “Tin Man”, NBC’s attempt at a dark fantasy epic titled “Emerald City”, or the successful Broadway run of “Wicked”.

In an unexpected turn of events, I found myself crashing headlong into another Disney universe in a truly one-of-a-kind fashion. However, the outcome wasn’t quite the triumph we had envisioned.

The Muppets see the Wiz

In 2004, following some intense legal negotiations, Disney regained control over the Muppets. They had an idea to utilize them in new ventures, including a potential revival of an old concept for Disney-MGM Studios where the Muppets would be integrated into classic movies. This eventually led to the creation of “The Muppet’s Wizard of Oz.

As a die-hard fan, I’m thrilled to share that Ashanti steps into the shoes of Dorothy, a contemporary dreamer who finds herself transported by a whirlwind to the magical land of Oz. The twist here is intriguing: instead of a dog named Toto, we have Pepe the Shrimp who miraculously acquires a voice in this enchanting realm. The Muppets fit perfectly into their roles: Kermit as the Scarecrow, Gonzo as the Tin Man, Fozzie as the Lion, and Miss Piggy takes on the challenge of portraying all four Witches. The rest of the gang also make appearances in delightful cameos.

The movie made its debut on Disney’s enchanting platform, “The Wonderful World of Disney,” on April 27, 2005, and subsequently was available for home viewing. Regrettably, it didn’t gain the acclaim anticipated. Despite the amusing Muppet characters, the portrayal of Dorothy’s ambition to meet the Wizard as a quest for stardom instead of returning home drew criticism. Additionally, the integration of pop culture references felt contrived and some humor intended for more mature audiences fell flat. Jeffrey Tambor delivered an enjoyable performance as the Wizard, but the scene featuring Quentin Tarantino brainstorming violent methods to thwart the Wicked Witch seemed absurd.

Again, the Oz property remained idle, seemingly waiting for someone else to attempt it, until events unfolded that enabled someone to do so.

The failed franchise attempt

In 2010, Tim Burton’s adaptation of Alice in Wonderland proved to be a massive success for Disney. Given this, it seemed logical that a popular fantasy novel directed by an unconventional horror-themed director with a generous CGI budget could achieve success once, and potentially again. Consequently, the movie Oz the Great and Powerful came into being.

The storyline itself was logical: We were curious about the Wizard’s past before he arrived in Oz and how he rose to power as a ruler. Delving into his origin story seemed fitting, providing filmmakers with an opportunity to expand upon the magical world of Oz as depicted in the books. Furthermore, the overwhelming success of “Wicked” demonstrated that audiences appreciate a fresh perspective on established properties, making such a revisionist approach quite appealing.

Choosing Sam Raimi as the director turned out to be a brilliant move. Renowned for his thrilling Evil Dead trilogy, he also has experience with big-budget films like Darkman and the Spider-Man series. Unleashing him on Oz was an exciting prospect. Initially, Robert Downey Jr was considered for the Wizard role, given his suave demeanor and knack for portraying self-absorbed characters. However, it seems his hefty Iron Man salary and schedule were issues, making him less available. If not for that, Downey would have been a great fit for the part. Johnny Depp was the second choice, but he was tied up with the unsuccessful Lone Ranger production, so the role went to James Franco instead.

Compared to the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz” and its sequel “Return to Oz”, the production was quite smoothly run. Raimi wisely blended CGI with real sets, adding thoughtful touches such as shooting the Kansas scenes in black and white initially, then transitioning to color in Oz. A significant challenge lay in managing the copyright disputes between Disney and MGM over Oz, preventing direct references to the 1939 film and instead focusing on the original books. They incorporated subtle nods, like Michelle Williams’ Glinda using bubbles and the Wicked Witch’s green hue.

The main challenges arose due to scheduling conflicts, such as Rachel Weisz being occupied with filming “The Bourne Legacy” concurrently, and James Franco being preoccupied by his father’s passing. Apart from these issues, the production ran efficiently, culminating in a box office success of nearly half a billion dollars globally. This achievement suggested a franchise expansion, and indeed, there were plans for a sequel that would further develop the story leading up to Dorothy’s arrival in Oz.

Perhaps one reason it didn’t occur is that, to put it straightforwardly, the film…lacks quality. While there are some appealing elements, such as the China Girl, the choice of Franco for the role seems inappropriate, and the CGI fails to capture Raimi’s trademark unbridled style.

In the movie, there’s a surprising turn of events (SPOILER ALERT if you haven’t watched it). Initially, it appears that Weisz’s character Evanora is the villain, but later on, Theodora (played by Mila Kunis) transforms into the Wicked Witch. Despite Kunis being a talented actress, she overacts in this role, failing to meet expectations. Additionally, the plot is rather shallow and the movie’s reception among critics and fans has been generally negative (not to mention Disney’s hesitation towards such high-budget productions after the disappointing performance of Lone Ranger and Tomorrowland). As a result, Disney hasn’t ventured into the Oz movies since then.

Once’s surprising Witch

Disney & Oz Part III: Muppets, Raimi, Once and the future

In another attempt to weave the magical tales of Oz into their stories, Disney made a significant move onto television screens with the series “Once Upon a Time”, which premiered in 2011. This innovative show captivated audiences by depicting a town where fairy tale characters were forced to live ordinary lives as a curse. As the program gained traction, Disney started incorporating more of their own intellectual properties into it, with “Frozen” being one of the most recognized examples.

In Season 3, they introduced the character of the Wicked Witch, who turned out to be the half-sister of Regina, the Evil Queen. Initially, she was only planned for a short stint, but thanks to Rebecca Mader’s captivating acting, she became a fan favorite and was brought back more often. Despite needing to be mindful of trademarks, Disney managed to utilize the character effectively.

Currently, it appears that Disney lacks any planned concepts for the Oz series, which is disappointing given the rich possibilities it presents for a television series on a streaming platform that could bring the books to life. Marvel Comics have demonstrated exceptional adaptations of the original novels, serving as a reminder of their unique and distinct qualities.

Instead of being a direct sequel, the new story could pick up where the 2014 movie left off, exploring the events leading to Dorothy’s arrival and unveiling more about the Wizard’s power. It appears that Disney is allowing Universal to utilize the property more extensively, with “Wicked” proving successful. However, considering how long the company has been working on their Oz projects, it seems likely that fans will eventually return to this magical world in some form or another.

Oz the Great and Powerful and Once Upon a Time streaming on Disney+.

2024-11-26 17:27