During the lively Walt Disney Studios panel today at Comic Con, Sam Raimi debuted the first trailer for his James Franco starring Oz The Great and Powerful! As any readers of my weekly Video Vault column know, I am one of the biggest fans of all things Oz, especially Disney’s first adaptation, Return to Oz. Needless to say, this was the most exciting moment of the day for me. Raimi also mentioned that every tidbit of the Wizard’s backstory mentioned in L. Frank Baum‘s original Oz series was included in the script! Doubly excited!! The panelists also talked extensively about the immense physical sets that were used for the film, another thing that I am extremely happy about. Triple excited!!! Embedded below is the trailer, I am hopeful the film is as fantastic as this trailer is beautiful! Raimi’s Oz does not look like any world we have seen before. The wizard arrives on March 8, 2013 and also stars Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, and Zach Braff.
Plot synopsis from the press release:
Disney’s fantastical adventure “Oz The Great and Powerful,” directed by Sam Raimi, imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved character, the Wizard of Oz. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot—fame and fortune are his for the taking—that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity—and even a bit of wizardry—Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.
And here’s the sweet poster:
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