Which Wizard?

“The Wizard of Oz,” which starred Judy Garland, has a place in cinematic history. But with three rival studios preparing new versions of the classic musical, which Wizard is which?The Independent reports that 70 years after Dorothy first graced the silver screen: “At least three major Hollywood studios intend to hit the Yellow Brick Road again, with rival projects that drag Judy Garland’s frock-wearing country girl from Kansas into the modern era, and offer darker plot twists to a generation of movie fans weaned on the Twilight franchise. Many of the mooted remakes of the children’s classic, which was based on a novel by L. Frank Baum, have been classified as “in development” for several years, but the staggering success of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland has convinced studio bosses to move them off the back burner. Mr Burton’s 3D re-working of Alice got mixed reviews, but nonetheless made more than $200m (£133m) on its opening weekend. That’s more than Avatar, which also showcased 3D special effects, and following its launch before Christmas became the most lucrative film of all time. Hoping to cash in on this trend, Warner Brothers announced this week it intends to green-light one of two rival Wizard of Oz projects currently being produced under its banner.”