The Wizard of Oz Remake

[MadasaHatter]

I should probably start a new thread devoted to this, but I'll keep posting here and let the mods make a new one if they want.

So, I did some poking around, and it turns out AICN got a hold of concept art for the Boorman animated film. These got taken down per the studio's request but are still being hosted by the site. I'll link them instead of putting IMG tags on them since there are quite a few.

Dorothy Gale and Toto
Munchkinland
The Scarecrow
The Scarecrow 2
Dorothy and the Scarecrow
Nick Chopper, the Tin Man
Nick Chopper, the Tin Man 2
The Cowardly Lion
The Yellow Brick Road (and Poppy Field?)
The Emerald City
The Emerald City 2
The Castle of the Wicked Witch of the West

The official website for Action Synthese (the production company making the film) had the first actual photo from the film on its main page (it seems to be the scene where Dorothy first meets the Scarecrow):

http://www.actionsynthese.com/index.php

And another smaller one from the same scene here:

http://www.actionsynthese.com/index2.php

I'm generally very pleased by what I see. The environments look fantastic. Apparently the Emerald City will be surrounded by mists and waterfalls as a means to keep the Wicked Witch of the West out, an ingenious move since it's never really explained why she doesn't just invade and conquer that area. The Scarecrow and the Lion both look great so far. Dorothy took me a while to get used to, but I'm really liking the more Kansas farmgirl look for her. I have to admit, though, that she has more warmth in the concept image than in the finished film shots. I guess some sterilzation is to be expected with a small budget,

I don't know what to think about the Tin Man. Supposedly the reason for his design is because he was originally a Munchkin. I haven't read the Oz sequels, but at least in the first novel, it's never stated where from Oz Nick Chopper (the human the Tin Man used to be) was from. It's likely he was from Munchkinland since that's where the Wicked Witch of the East ruled, and she was the one who cused his axe. That said, it's just odd having a short and round Tin Man when even the W. W. Denslow illustrations Baum approved of show him tall and thin. Let's see how this works out.

Hopefully more final film images are released along with casting info. Boorman's intentions are what really make me believe this film can be something special:

http://www.actionsynthese.com/galerie_r ... hp?idgal=6

HERE'S A LINK SHOWNG SOME TEST FOOTAGE FOR THIS FILM OF DOROTHY AND THE SCARECROW'S FIRST ENCOUNTER! - PS: if anyone knows how to save this video let me know - I can't figure it out. Thanks.

http://www.damienblondel.com/video8.htm

[Disneykid]

Nice find, MadasaHatter! The animation looks a bit better than I would've expected for such a small budget. Dorothy's texture still looks rather plasticy, but her movements are more fluid and subtle than I would've figured. The environmental animation is especially great, very nicely staged. I'd really like to know who's providing the Scarecrow's voice, because I think it suits him perfectly. Dorothy sounds pretty much how I anticipated. Hopefully more clips will follow, along with a cast list. Thanks!

[PeterPanfan]

Awesome find, and thanks for the links!

I love the concept art, but why does the Tin Man look so small?

[TheSequelOfDisney]

Awesome find, and thanks for the links!

I love the concept art, but why does the Tin Man look so small?

In the original book the Tin Man is a transformed Munchkin (I think it's in the original book, though I do know that he was a Munchkin). That's probably why he is so small.

[MadasaHatter]

Awesome find, and thanks for the links!

I love the concept art, but why does the Tin Man look so small?

In the original book the Tin Man is a transformed Munchkin (I think it's in the original book, though I do know that he was a Munchkin). That's probably why he is so small.

As mentioned before in this thread the Tin Man's origins were never revealed, so it's not definite that he was a munchkin. As the story goes he did fall in love with a munchkin girl and he must have lived in the east somewhere because it's the Wicked Witch of the East (who governed Munchkinland till her death) that cursed his axe ultimately ending up with him as the Tin Man. I know most evidence supports it - but I just never saw him as a munchkin. Also Denslow never drew him as such and given how closely he worked with Baum on the book leads me to believe Baum didn't intend to have him be a munchkin. Forgive my anality.

[Disneykid]

Well, it looks like the Todd McFarlane version may not be so dead, afterall...

http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/08/23/dak ... s-dorothy/

A sequel involving Dorothy's granddaughter? Hmmm...I'm not sure what to think about that, yet, but I'm annoyed that people are considering this to be a sequel to the MGM movie when it's probably more a sequel to the book ala Return to Oz.

Since the McFarlane version is back on the map, maybe this thread should be split so that the stuff relating to the John Boorman CG version is given its own thread (the first post pertaining to that is on page 2, dated November 6, 2008). Thanks, mods!

[Disney Duster]

I agree, I think the mods should split this, but maybe we should wait and see if the McFarlane version actually takes off afterall?

I didn't like the test footage...I hope that Dorothy does look more natural and fluid in the final version. I'm sorry, I didn't find her fluid. And I didn't like her voice, it didn't seem to match her new tomboy look. And I don't like that she has a new tomboy look anyway. I think this should still be set in the original time period!

Ahwell, the scenery, yes, was beautiful! But so far the concept art has more impressed me than the final result...! : ( I'll still see it, of course, I love the original Wizard of Oz!

[Poody]

So is this happening? I would really love for the OTHER Oz books to be made into films in some sort.

[MadasaHatter]

"New" Oz Update from the folks at Ain't it Cool News:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/42244

[MadasaHatter]

I agree, I think the mods should split this, but maybe we should wait and see if the McFarlane version actually takes off afterall?

I didn't like the test footage...I hope that Dorothy does look more natural and fluid in the final version. I'm sorry, I didn't find her fluid. And I didn't like her voice, it didn't seem to match her new tomboy look. And I don't like that she has a new tomboy look anyway. I think this should still be set in the original time period!

Ahwell, the scenery, yes, was beautiful! But so far the concept art has more impressed me than the final result...! : ( I'll still see it, of course, I love the original Wizard of Oz!

I couldn't agree more Double D. I found the concept art more enticing than the test footage however I feel that everything we've seen so far for the Boorman Oz is all rather bland. The characters and scenery lack that iconic feeling that they really need. These characters and this story have been engrained in our culture for years now. To do the book justice the movie needs to match the iconicness of the MGM film. No I'm not saying they should look alike, I'm just saying however they turn out - they should be memorable (the characters and scenery I mean).

[Disneykid]

"New" Oz Update from the folks at Ain't it Cool News:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/42244

This just gets more and more confusing. A version based off of McFarlane's toy line (only with some modifications to make it palatable) was announced a couple of years ago by WB. Then it was said that the WB version would distance itself more from McFarlane and be more Baum-influenced. Next, McFarlane mentions in an interview that he's still involved and just submitted a story treatment in between his and Baum's versions, which WB liked, but wanted it "sexier" (....?). Now we have a screenwriter saying that he's never discussed the project with McFarlane, that his version is more in-tune with Baum, and that WB liked it but wants it funnier. So what are we getting? A dark, twisted Oz or a whimsical matter-of-fact Oz? Sexy or funny? I have a feeling this project is going to crash and burn the way no one seems to be communicating with each other.

As for Boorman's version, here's a quick interview with him on the project.

Now, I strongly disagree with his thoughts on the MGM film ("clunky?" I love the original book, but its story structure was much clunkier than the film's streamlined take. Not to mention the fact that things happen with little explanation while the film gives it all context). That said, his goals for the new one fascinate me. I always thought a new Oz film should begin around the time Dorothy's parents die so that we could see her relationship with Em and Henry develop. It seems like he's taking that even further and showing us how they died (tornado, perhaps? That would make the iconic one more of a psychological terror for Dorothy, especially when she finds the Wicked Witch of the East dead as a result).

Dorothy's friends are already given some backstory in the book (especially the Tin Man), but I guess Boorman's going to beef those up and show them to us via flashbacks.

Toto talking is definitely a different take, but it worked for Billina in Return to Oz, and at least Dorothy won't look so strange talking to a dog who can't talk back.

[disneyboy20022]

Oh btw...for those that own a DS and want to see the Wonderful Wizard of Oz or play with him...

http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/Product ... t_id=75582

comes out September 29th 2009 though I will be getting Kingdom hearts 358/2 days not this...though I might get this game but at another time..

[Cordy_Biddle]

Toto talking is definitely a different take, but it worked for Ballina in Return to Oz, and at least Dorothy won't look so strange talking to a dog who can't talk back.

Yes, I can see this working. Billina in "Return to Oz" was a fun sidekick for Dorothy.

[ajmrowland]

I don't really like the test footage that much. Not very good animation. I didn't even know this was going to be animated.

[Disney Duster]

It's old, it might have changed, but one poster. UNLESS has anyone seen these images before, is it a fanmade fake? The way to know would be if the font and logo has been seen in other Oz images of other versions. But here it is anyway:

[Disneykid]

Where'd you get that? That's actually new to me. I don't think it's fan made since those poses differ from the leaked images except Dorothy's. It looks like a photo of a poster rather than a photoshop job. Plus, the film was confirmed a few months ago to be called The Wonderful Wizard of Oz since WB has the shorter title trademarked for the MGM musical.

It's hard to tell, but Dorothy's face looks more organic in that poster than in the test animation. I don't know if it's because it's based off of the leaked concept art, or if they've actually modified her appearance back to their first version. The Scarecrow remains fantastic, though I still find a short Tin Man odd, and I don't know how I feel about a white-haired Lion. Still, I'm glad that we're getting SOME indication of this project's existence. I was beginning to wonder. Hopefully casting announcements and a release date are on the way. Since we're not getting Pooh till summer thanks to Disney's suicidal tendencies, spring would be the perfect time frame for this.

[Disney's Divinity]

I didn't even know this was going to be animated.

Neither did I.

But I agree with you on the Scarecrow, Disneykid. He looks awesome. And I like the Lion that way, strangely enough. But the Tin Man looks like he should be in Robots.

[UmbrellaFish]

I LOVE the poster, I don't have a problem with a single character design, except, perhaps, Dorothy. But I imagine it would be hard to include a gingham, pig-tails Dorothy without sending flashbacks of the 1939 film so....

[Disney Duster]

I got it from here so I think it is old.

I don't get it. This is the perfect opportunity to make a more faithful adaptation of the book. The Tin Man's size is supposed to represent such faithfullness (though that accuracy is questionable). And yet, they just have to modernize Dorothy. Ugh.

[UmbrellaFish]

http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/06/11/lea-m ... thy-of-oz/

But what "Oz" is this? The Boorman project? Because the picture of Dorothy resembles the one in the poster Disney Duster posted a little while ago.