A new Wizard of Oz remake will have LGBTQ representation, says its director.
Black-ish creator Kenya Barris has signed on to write and direct another Wizard of Oz remake from Warner Bros. Keep in mind, this is completely different from the remake coming from New Line and directed by Watchmen’s Nicole Kassell. Oh, and that Wicked movie-musical starring Cynthia Orivo, Ariana Grande, and Jonathan Bailey.
Kenya Barris’s version of the story is being pitched as a “fresh take” on the tale, according to Variety. Keep in mind, this adaption is based off the book and not the classic 1939 film. The book, titled The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and written by L. Frank Baum, has been adapted for the stage, tv, and film many times. But for Barris’s version of the story, he wants to make the tale of Dorothy in Oz more representative of today.
“The original was an allegory and a reflection of the way the world was at the time with things like the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl,” Barris told Variety. “Now we’re going to turn a mirror on where we’re at right now and take disparate characters from the LGBTQ community, from different cultural communities and socioeconomic communities, and tell a story that reflects the world. I think this is the best time to do that.”
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But will people accept a Wizard of Oz that includes LGBTQ people and representation from other cultures? That’s a project bound to get pushback, and Barris admitted that he’s worried.
“I’m nervous,” Barris he admitted. “Hopefully, my movie can last as long as the original does.” He then added with a laugh: “Hopefully my movie comes out.”
Right now, the movie is at the very start of the pre-production process. So, there’s no word on when the project will start filming, be released, or even come out. It could just disappear like many projects before it (like all those bi black man shows HBO keeps greenlighting and then backtracking on. #NeverForget). We’ll see if this project sees the light of day. And, hopefully, we’ll see how people react to LGBTQ representation in the land of Oz.
Source: Variety,
In the original , watching it back from when I was a child, the scarecrow, tin man & lion all seem gay to me. It was Dorothy and her gays.
If ever a classic did not need a remake, it’s The Wizard of Oz. How can this man even think that he can recreate the brilliance of the 1939 film? Even that film is flawed. There have been some fascinating revisions of the story, from Wicked to Emerald City to Tin Man. However, there’s absolutely no reason, whatsoever to remake the 1939 film!