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Johnny Depp Passes On 'Oz The Great And Powerful,' James Franco Next In Line

Posted 2/7/11 10:14 am EST by in Casting Call, Commentary, News


James FrancoIt only took about two and a half weeks for the rumor that Johnny Depp would be playing Oz in "Oz, the Great and Powerful" to be shut down.

Depp has officially passed on the role, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Sad news for Depp and "Oz" fans, but at least this gives him more time to focus on his "Dark Shadows" remake with Tim Burton. Still, now two big time actors, both Depp and Robert Downey Jr., have chosen to pass on the title character of the Sam Raimi-directed film, which could have pushed the project down the deadly yellow brick road known as Hollywood limbo.

Not so, though, because THR has also reported that James Franco, aka the busiest man in Hollywood, is in early talks (not negotiations) for the lead role, and that personally sounds like the best casting news yet for the film. Find out why we think Franco is a better choice than RDJ or Depp after the jump.

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'Season Of The Witch' Inspires Us To Rank The 10 BEST MOVIE WITCHES EVER

Posted 1/7/11 10:00 am EST by in Commentary, Hot Stuff, Photos


Nicolas Cage and Ron Perlman's "Season of the Witch" arrives in theaters today, offering moviegoers the chance to travel to a faraway land filled with knights, crazed wolves and, as you may have surmised from the title, witches. But if the witches you'll see in this latest fantastic flick rub you the wrong way, don't worry: There are plenty of other witches out in the brew.

From goodhearted spellcasters with the best of intentions to nefarious necromancers with the darkest of designs, we've picked out the best movie witches of all time. Click here or on the pic below for a photo countdown of the top 10, or hit the jump for the plain old text version!

Best Movie Witches of All Time

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Robert Zemeckis To Direct 'Wizard Of Oz' Remake Using Script From 1939 Original

Posted 11/17/10 12:45 pm EST by in News


Wizard of OzRobert Downey Jr. is a popular choice for "Wizard of Oz"-related movies right now. He first showed up on Disney's list earlier this year for their prequel "Oz, The Great and Powerful," but Warner Bros. reportedly wants him as well for a Robert Zemeckis-helmed remake of MGM's 1939 musical classic. What's even more interesting, however, is that they want to use MGM's original screenplay as the basis for the film.

Zemeckis is still in early discussions with Disney, according to a Deadline report. Warner already owns the 1939 screenplay, which they purchased from Ted Turner, who originally bought it as part of a larger MGM library acquisition. Read More...

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'The Wizard Of Oz' Turns 71, Resulting In A Google Facelift And A Bunch Of Fun Facts

Posted 8/12/10 10:19 am EST by in News


UPDATE: Thanks to commenter kinnemaniac, the August 12 "Wizard of Oz" celebrating makes more sense.

"The Wizard of Oz" turns 71 on August 25 so, for whatever reason, Google is celebrating the occasion today with one of their trademark doctored logos (seen above). In response, Guardian UK gathered together a list of 71 factoids about the movie. Some of it you'll know -- is anyone not aware that the long-rumored "hanging Munchkin" was actually just a bird? -- but some of it will come as a total surprise. Or at least, it did to me. Hit the jump for a sampling of the gathered trivia and follow the Guardian link for the full list. Read More...

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'Inception' Is Only The Latest Blockbuster To Explore Dream Worlds In Hollywood

Posted 7/12/10 1:49 pm EST by in Commentary, Summer Blockbusters 2010


I've been adhering to a self-imposed ban on all things "Inception." I found the first trailer to be utterly captivating in a non-revealing sort of way, in many ways reminiscent of how I felt after seeing the debut trailer for "The Matrix." Subsequent ads have spoiled some of the story particulars, most notably (spoiler alert?) that the wacky vistas we've glimpsed are quite literally the stuff of dreams. The story in some way deals with people who have the ability to explore sleeptime fantasies and nightmares. To what end I have no idea, but this isn't the first time we've seen Hollywood explore the REM state.

Dreams are an old motif in film, stretching all the way to Hollywood's earliest efforts. Sometimes they pop up in the midst of a story, the better to illustrate a particular character's fears and anxieties. Other times they serve as a framing device, with most of the story in question occurring in a sleep-created fantasy world. In honor of the Friday release of "Inception," I've decided to take a look back at some of my own favorite dreamscapes from Hollywood's past. Read More...

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Robert Downey Jr., Sam Mendes, Adam Shankman All In The Running For 'Wizard Of Oz' Prequel

Posted 4/21/10 1:42 pm EST by in News


The word on the virtual street is that director Sam Mendes or Adam Shankman -- one or the other -- may soon be heading to the magical land of Oz for a prequel treatment of L. Frank Baum's classic tale, "The Wizard of Oz." They're both at the top of the list of potential directors for producer Joe Roth and Disney. Also a possibility is Robert Downey Jr., who would star as the Wizard in the days before he came to parcel out internal organs in scroll form from his curtained hideout in Emerald City. "Oz, The Great and Powerful" -- formerly "Brick" -- comes from a script by Mitchell Kapner. For more on this story, check out the full report on MTV.

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There's No Place Like Blu-Ray For 'Wizard Of Oz,' In The DVD Report For Tuesday, September 29

Posted 9/29/09 6:00 pm EST by in DVD


'The Wizard of Oz'Rare is the occasion where the week biggest release isn't a new blockbuster but rather a septuagenarian, but that's the case this time as a young girl from Kanas eclipses anything New Hollywood has to throw at us. This is your DVD Report for Tuesday, September 29, 2009.

Since the advent of Blu-ray, studios have casually mined their catalogues for suitable re-releases, and while the results have often been notable, they're usually nothing to stop the presses over. But every once in a while, that little extra effort is made that blows something out of the water and we get something like MGM's timeless "The Wizard of Oz," which breezes into its 70th birthday with one of the best Blu-ray collections of all time.

Presented in a large hardbound rectangular case, the 70th Anniversary Edition of "Oz" comes as a three-disc Blu-ray set featuring a whopping 20+ hours of bonus content, and is highlighted by a completely remastered audio and video package that transports the 1939 fairy-tale into the high-def realm. The musical classic has never looked or sounded better; the film pioneered the use of color and that achievement is heralded in this release with unparalleled ease. Read More...

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EXCLUSIVE: Todd McFarlane Speaks On The Story And Future Of 'The Twisted Land Of Oz'

Posted 9/29/09 3:00 pm EST by in Hot Stuff, News


This week, fans get to celebrate almost a century of "The Wizard of Oz" with a 70th Anniversary DVD/Blu-ray release of the 1939 film. It's fitting then that we have some exclusive new information to share with you on the screen adaptation of Todd McFarlane's "The Twisted Land of Oz" toy line.

MTV Splash Page editor Rick Marshall spoke to the man himself recently, and he was more than happy to delve into the project's genesis, some basic story elements and what the future holds. There's new stuff in here, things you haven't heard yet. The short version: this ain't your granddaddy's "Wizard of Oz." "Spawn" creator McFarlane has some dark ideas kicking around in his head, and they mesh very well with the inherently creepy qualities of "Oz." Read More...

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Which Actors Would You Like To See In Todd McFarlane's 'Wizard Of Oz'? These Are Our Casting Call Picks!

Posted 9/1/09 3:00 pm EST by in Casting Call


In the first "Wizard of Oz" movie, Dorothy sure wasn't in Kansas anymore -- but in Todd McFarlane's proposed reimagining of the franchise, it's unclear if Dorothy is even in Oz anymore.

Based on his "Twisted Land of Oz" action figure line, McFarlane's upcoming "Wizard of Oz" film promises a lot more mayhem and mischief than a winged monkey could ever muster, and you don't have to take McFarlane's word for it -- the action figures themselves speak volumes about this dark and dangerous new Oz.

Given the horrifying look of the toys, it's tough to imagine who could play these mangled versions of L. Frank Baum's classic characters -- but that's not stopping me from trying! After the jump, check out the five actors that I'd like to see in McFarlane's new "Oz" film. Read More...

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'Wizard Of Oz' Mastermind Todd McFarlane Is Unfamiliar With Dakota Fanning Rumors

Posted 9/1/09 1:00 pm EST by in News


There's a rumor on the street that "New Moon" actress Dakota Fanning is slipping on Dorothy Gale's ruby red slippers for a twisted take on "The Wizard of Oz," based on a line of action figures from "Spawn" creator Todd McFarlane -- but the toymaker himself has heard nothing of the sort.

While McFarlane verified that such a film is in development, he told Empirethat he's completely unfamiliar with the rumors of Fanning starring in the movie, though he's not necessarily against the idea. Read More...

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