Director Sam Raimi is probably most well known for the schlocky horror franchise The Evil Dead, and his Spider-Man trilogy. He’s accustomed to both independent filmmaking and big budget filmmaking and his next endeavour looks to be the latter.
A prequel to the seminal Judy Garland classic, Oz: The Great and Powerful follows small-time circus magician Oscar Diggs (James Franco), who stumbles upon a mysterious and fantastical land. Here he meets three witches (Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams) and from here, adventure ensues.
The decision to make a prequel to such a heralded film is not without dubiety, and many are skeptical. However, Raimi is an inventive director and if nothing else, this shall be a vibrant, visual treat for the eyes. The cast assembled is a strong one though, so perhaps one could be forgiven for thinking this could be something more special. It looks to forgo the recent trend of grittily updating children’s stories, instead bringing an uplifting and colourful adventure.
Today, Disney has released a new poster for the film, showcasing the infamous wicked witch of the west. You can check it out below, via Daily Blam.
Also featuring Zach Braff, Oz: The Great and Powerful is scheduled to be released on March 8, 2013.
