Watch: First trailer for “Oz the Great and Powerful” wows Comic-Con

July 12, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos Leave a comment

The announcement of a remake/reboot/prequel of “The Wizard of Oz” was met with the usual knee-jerk backlash, but add director Sam Raimi and a cast that includes James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams, and things for Disney’s “Oz the Great and Powerful” began looking up. Now the first trailer from the film has premiered, and it’s an even more promising sign that this might turn out to be a pretty spectacular bit of entertainment after all. The footage debuted a couple of hours ago at Comic-Con in San Diego, where it wowed the 6,000 strong crowed in Hall H, and now you can see it for yourself.

Franco plays a con artist who flees his black-and-white troubles in a hot air balloon, gets caught up in a tornado and lands in a hyper colorful land called Oz. There he’s greeted by three witches, played by Kunis, Williams and Weisz and a myriad of other magical beings. Not much plot details are revealed in the montage-style trailer that clearly seeks to show off its impressive aesthetics, but I have a feeling this movie is going to lean heavily on those visual wow factors anyway.

“Oz the Great and Powerful” which is, of course, in 3D, will be released on March 8, 2013, and the first trailer can be viewed below.

Jessica Lucas and newcomer Elizabeth Blackmore round out new “Evil Dead” cast

March 7, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

The new “Evil Dead” has rounded up all of its victims. THR reports recent “Melrose Place” star Jessica Lucas and newcomer Elizabeth Blackmore have rounded out the cast of five young actors who will bring the Sam Raimi horror classic back to life. Shiloh Fernandez, Jane Levy and Lou Taylor Pucci had been previously announced.

The new take on Raimi’s original “Evil Dead” sees five friends – David, Natalie, Eric, Olivia, and Mia – vacationing in a remote cabin in the woods only to discover a Book of the Dead, which unleashes an evil demonic force that possesses each of them until only one is left to survive. Fernandez’s David and Blackmore’s Natalie are engaged, while Levy’s Mia is an ex-drug addict hoping to detox in the cabin. Lucas will play Olivia, who is her best friend while Pucci will play Eric, the one who unleashes the demons upon the group. Diablo Cody rewrote the script for director Fede Alvarez.

Austraian actress Blackmore appeared on cult favorite TV series “Legend of the Seeker” and also on Australia’s famous long-running soap “Home and Away” (the breakout vehicle for Chris Hemsworth, Heath Ledger, Isla Fisher and more). Lucas broke out in Joss Whedon’s brilliant (and brilliantly marketed) sci-fi thriller “Cloverfield” and was a series regular on The CW’s recent “Melrose Place” reboot, which lasted two seasons. she’s now headed back to the network after being cast as the lead on Josh Schwartz’s next offering, “Cult”, a show-within-a-show crime thriller.

Lou Taylor Pucci joins Shiloh Fernandez and Jane Levy in fighting off “The Evil Dead”

February 13, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

“Evil Dead” is slowly but surely rounding up its five victims. Variety reports Lou Taylor Pucci is the newest addition to join Jane Levy and Shiloh Fernandez on that fateful, doomed trip to the cabin in the woods. Raimi himself is producing and wrote some of the new screenplay, with Levy (replacing Lily Collins) as the lead character standing in for Bruce Campbell’s Ash.

The new take on Raimi’s original “Evil Dead” sees five friends – David, Natalie, Eric, Olivia, and Mia – vacationing in a remote cabin in the woods only to discover a Book of the Dead, which unleashes an evil demonic force that possesses each of them until only one is left to survive. Fernandez’s David and Natalie are engaged, while Levy’s Mia is an ex-drug addict hoping to detox in the cabin. Olivia is her best friend while Pucci will play Eric, the one who unleashes the demons upon the group. Diablo Cody rewrote the script for director Fede Alvarez.

Pucci caught the attention of the indie world when he starred in Mike Mills’ directorial debut “Thumbsucker” and has remained a steady but low-profile presence on the indie circuit ever since, with roles in “Fast Food Nation”, “Southland Tales”, 2011′s Sundance entry “The Music Never Stopped” and Mills’ current awards contender “Beginners.”

Jane Levy replaces Lily Collins in “Evil Dead” remake

February 3, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

“Suburgatory” star Jane Levy has landed the female lead in Sam Raimi’s “Evil Dead” remake after Lily Collins dropped out, Deadline revealed today. She will join Shiloh Fernandez in the retelling of the 1986 horror classic that Raimi hismelf wrote. The male and female leads are now set and casting continues on the three remaining characters.

The new take on Raimi’s original “Evil Dead” sees five friends – David, Natalie, Eric, Olivia, and Mia – vacationing in a remote cabin in the woods only to discover a Book of the Dead, which unleashes an evil demonic force that possesses each of them until only one is left to survive. David and Natalie are engaged, while Levy’s Mia is an ex-drug addict hoping to detox in the cabin. Olivia is her best friend while Eric is the one who unleashes the demons upon the group. Diablo Cody rewrote the script for director Fede Alvarez.

Levy is a total newbie to acting, having only made her small screen debut last year in Showtime series “Shameless.” But it took her no time at all to land the role of Victoria Justice’s BFF in Josh Schwartz’s big screend debut, “Fun Size”, and her own hit TV series, “Suburgatory” on ABC. She was also recently seen in Sundance premiere “Nobody Walks” with Olivia Thirlby and John Krasinski.

Shiloh Fernandez lands male lead in “Evil Dead” remake and indie “Deep Powder”

February 2, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 2 Comments

The almost Edward Cullen didn’t exactly hit Twilight heartthrob status with “Red Riding Hood”, but it appears Shiloh Fernandez is finding more success in darker projects. Variety reports Fernandez has booked two new roles, first taking the highly coveted male lead in Sam Raimi’s own “Evil Dead” remake/reboot, and in indie “Deep Powder.”

Raimi wrote the script for the new take on his original “Evil Dead”, and this time five friends – David, Natalie, Eric, Olivia, and Mia – vacation in a remote cabin in the woods and discover a Book of the Dead, which unleashes an evil demonic force that possesses each of them until only one is left to survive. David and Natalie are engaged, while Mia is an ex-drug addict hoping to detox in the cabin. Olivia is her best friend while Eric is the one who unleashes the demons upon the group. Lily Collins had originally been cast as the female lead Mia, but had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts so now the hunt is back on for that vacant role, as well as the three others. Diablo Cody did revisions on the script and Fede Alvarez will direct.

Mo Ogrodnik wrote and will director “Deep Powder”, but plot details are being kept under wraps. Sounds like some kind of ski/snowboard actioner just based on the title, if we were to venture a guess. Fernandez is expected to film “Deep Powder” first, later this month in New York. “Evil Dead” will follow later in the year.

Fernandez recently wrapped up shooting Brit Marling’s new eco-terrorist thriller, “The East” opposite Marling, Ellen Page and Alexander Skarsgard, as well as “Syrup” opposite Amber Heard and Brittany Snow. He’s also attached to comedy “Adult World” with Emma Roberts and “Regular Boy” with “The Social Network”‘s Josh Peck.

Lily Collins: from Snow White to drug addict in “Evil Dead” remake

January 4, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Looks like Lily Collins is getting to that stage in her career where she wants to start distancing herself from that kid-friendly, good-girl image that’s made her a rapidly rising star in the last couple of years. Bloody Disgusting reports the actress is the first to sign on to the remake of Sam Raimi horror classic “Evil Dead”, and she will be playing an ex-drug addict whose past erratic behavior makes her something of an unreliable “girl who cried demonic monsters” to her friends.

Raimi wrote the script for the new take on his original film, and this time five friends – David, Natalie, Eric, Olivia, and Mia – vacation in a remote cabin in the woods and discover a Book of the Dead, which unleashes an evil demonic force that possesses each of them until only one is left to survive. David and Natalie are engaged, while Collins’ Mia is an ex-drug addict hoping to detox in the cabin. Olivia is her best friend while Eric is the one who unleashes the demons upon the group. Collins’ Mia is recovering from a recent overdose and has trouble convincing people when she begins seeing weird stuff again this time around. Diablo Cody did revisions on the script and Fede Alvarez will direct.

Collins, daughter of Phil Collins, made her big screen debut in 2009′s Sandra Bullock Oscar contender “The Blind Side” and has been on an upward swinging career trajectory ever since. She headlines Tarsem Singh’s Snow White redo “Mirror Mirror” in March and has long been attached to the lead in potential teen genre franchise “The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.” She recently completed work opposite Michael Anagarano and Julianne Moore in indie dramedy “The English Teacher.”

Abigail Spencer to join James Franco, Michelle Williams and more in “Oz”

July 6, 2011 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Casting Leave a comment

Looks like everyone is dropping in to Oz! Over the last few months, James Franco, Michelle Williams, Mila Kunis and Rachel Weisz have all joined the cast for Sam Raimi’s much-anticipated Oz: The Great and Powerful, and THR is today reporting that Abigail Spencer has also been added to the cast.

Spencer “will play a young woman who is a willing subject of Oz’s magic tricks which the erstwhile magician is performing in Kansas”. In this “prequel” to the classic film The Wizard of Oz, Oz (Franco) is a charismatic circus magician who is treated as a powerful wizard after his balloon blows off course into Oz. Once there, he meets the three Witches who run the colourful land – Glinda the Good Witch (Williams); Evanorah, the Wicked Witch of the East (Weisz); and her younger sister Theodorah (Kunis), who falls for and is spurned by Oz, eventually becoming the Wicked Witch of the West.

Spencer got her start in acting on the daytime soap opera, “All My Children”, and is perhaps best known for her role on the critically acclaimed TV show “Mad Men”. She has a host of upcoming Hollywood films on her resume however, including the soon-to-be-released Cowboys and Aliens with Daniel Craig and The Haunting in Georgia with fellow TV actressKatee Sackhoff.

Zach Braff joins Franco, Williams and Kunis in “Oz”

June 2, 2011 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Casting Leave a comment

Funny man Zach Braff, famous for his starring role in TV hit “Scrubs”, has signed on to Sam Raimi’s Oz: the Great and Powerful.

Deadline reports that Braff will play Frank, “the loyal but under-appreciated assistant to Oz” (to be played by James Franco.)

Also starring Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams (who signed on after weeks of speculation), this retelling of the classic story follows a charismatic circus magician who is treated as a powerful wizard after his balloon blows off course into Oz.
There he meets the three Witches who run the colourful land – Glinda the Good Witch (Williams); Evanorah, the Wicked Witch of the East (Weisz); and her younger sister Theodorah (Kunis), who falls for and is spurned by Oz, eventually becoming the Wicked Witch of the West.

Braff’s resume is a little hit and miss when it comes to the big screen. He starred in indie favourite Garden State back in 2004, alongside Natalie Portman, and then box office dud The Last Kiss in 2006. Since then, Braff has voiced several video games as the cartoon character Chicken Little, and starred in The High Cost of Living, which premièred at 2010′s Toronto Film Festival. His first play “All New People” opens off-Broadway in July.

Michelle Williams is Glinda the Good Witch in “Oz: The Great and Powerful”

May 17, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

Michelle Williams just wants to be good. Despite reports that had her in contention for the role of an “elder witch”, presumably the Wicked Witch of the East, Evanorah, THR reports that actually, Williams will be Glinda, the good witch, in Sam Raimi’s “Oz, The Great and Powerful”. As for Evanorah, though Raimi reportedly wanted Hilary Swank, it’s fellow Oscar winner Rachel Weisz who is now in talks for the role.

David Lindsay-Abaire‘s script calls for a younger, sexier version of Oz, with James Franco as a snake oil salesman masking as a magician, who lands in Oz in his hot air balloon fleeing from an angry mob. There he meets the three Witches who run the colorful land, Glinda the Good Witch, Evanorah, the Wicked Witch of the East and the role Mila Kunis would take on, her younger sister Theodorah, who falls for and is spurned by Franco, eventually becoming the Wicked Witch of the West.

It’s a bit of a surprise that indie darling Williams would agree to take part in such a big budget, studio tentpole picture. A recent Oscar nominee for “Blue Valentine” (she was also nominated for “Brokeback Mountain” several years back), Williams recently completed “Meek’s Cutoff”, “Take This Waltz” and “My Week with Marilyn”, all small indies that have award season potential. She has no other upcoming projects planned.

Will it be Michelle Williams or Hilary Swank for “Oz: The Great and Powerful”?

April 23, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

According to Vulture, there’s a battle brewing over at Disney between studio execs and director Sam Raimi. The project in contention is Raimi’s revisionist “The Wizard of Oz” prequel “Oz: The Great and Powerful”, which already has James Franco in the title role and Mila Kunis in the role of Theodora, the Wicked Witch of the West. Raimi’s next casting decision centers on an unnamed “elder witch”, which may or may not be Theodora’s older sister Evanorah, the Wicked Witch of the East. Raimi is said to be fighting hard to cast Oscar winner Hilary Swank in the role, while Disney is “strongly opposed” to the choice and is pressuring the director to offer the role to Michelle Williams instead.

The story revolves around Franco as a snake oil salesman masking as a magician, who lands in Oz in his hot air balloon fleeing from an angry mob. There he meets the three Witches who run the colorful land, Glinda the Good Witch, Evanorah, the Wicked Witch of the East and her younger sister Theodorah, who is conflicted but eventually and inevitably becomes the Wicked Witch of the West. Blake Lively had been reported to be gunning for the role of Glinda, but after officially jumping on board Oliver Stone’s “Savages”, it’s unclear if she is still available. A supporting role, that of a sidekick to the Wizard, had reportedly been eyeing John C. Reilly, but he is expected to take a larger role in “The Hunger Games” trilogy instead.

Given the choice between Williams and Swank, our vote is for the former. She seems to fit in more with the hip, young cast, and with two Oscar nominations to her name, is no downgrade from Swank. The “Blue Valentine” star has no upcoming filming commitments, having completed filming on “Meek’s Cutoff”, “My Week with Marilyn” and “Take This Waltz”, all releasing in 2011. However, there’s no telling whether the indie-favoring Williams would take such a high profile role, and as Vulture points out, Raimi is rather infamous for being dogged when it comes to getting what he wants. He alone fought to cast Tobey Maguire for “Spider-Man” when everybody else at Sony and the production were set on Wes Bently. So don’t be surprised if it’s Raimi (and Swank) who comes out victorious once again.

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