Downey as Wizard Of Oz? Wonderful!

You can talk me into virtually any movie idea so long as Robert Downey Jr. is prominently involved somehow. What’s that, you say? A prequel to “The Wizard of Oz”? Well, that sounds stu… ROBERT DOWNEY JR. WILL PLAY THE WIZARD?! Okay, I’m in. Let’s do it. From the gentlemen at the LA Times’ 24 Frames blog:

According to word in the development community, Robert Downey Jr. is talking to producers about starring as the wizard (hard not to lick your lips at that one).

Meanwhile, two directors are said to be considered top candidates to get behind the camera: "American Beauty" director Sam Mendes (who may have some time on his hands now that "Bond 23" is in trouble) and "Hairspray" and "Bedtime Stories" director Adam Shankman

The wizard, who in the Baum books was a charlatan in Kansas before arriving in Oz, is a more dark and complex character in (this) version.


Dark? Complex? Does he toss off pithy one-liners every five seconds while holding a cocktail in his hand? That’s made for Downey Jr., okay. It’s kind of amazing that Downey is so gifted, I can get behind a project like this 100%. Think of every Oz movie you’ve ever seen that wasn’t the original “Wizard of Oz.” They’re all terrible. I saw “Return to Oz” when I was a kid. I saw “The Wiz.” Those are painful movies to sit through. You don’t want any part of them. But add Downey to the equation, and suddenly I don’t care. Make it a musical. Set it in World War II era Poland. Have Downey play Dorothy and the Witch, too. MAKE IT ANIMATED, for all I care. If it’s good enough for Iron Man, it’s good enough for me.

The Times reports that filming could begin as early as next spring (under the working title "The Great Powerful"). I also don’t think it’s a stretch to assume this will be shot for 3D. This could be pretty cool. Unless they bring all the really old munchkins back. They scare me to death.

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