Oz the Great and Powerful
Short description
Oscar Diggs is a struggling circus magician in Kansas whose ethics are as questionable as his tricks. When a tornado carries him away in a hot-air balloon, he lands in the Land of Oz, where the locals mistake him for the great wizard their prophecies promised. He initially sees fame and fortune within reach, but three witches named Theodora, Evanora and Glinda doubt that he is the savior the inhabitants await. Drawn into a conflict on an epic scale, he must rely on illusion and ingenuity, along with a measure of genuine magic, to work out who is good and who is evil and to grow into the role the people expect of him.
Sam Raimi directed the film, the fourteenth of the seventeen features he has made in chronological order, arriving between Drag Me to Hell and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire wrote the screenplay, and Joe Roth produced. James Franco plays Oscar, with Mila Kunis as Theodora, Rachel Weisz as Evanora, Michelle Williams as Glinda, Zach Braff as Frank and Finley, and Bill Cobbs as Master Tinker; the production credits 123 cast members and 172 crew. Made for a reported 200 million USD, it took about 492 million USD worldwide, a solid commercial result. On IMDb it holds 6.3/10 from 221,000 votes and on TMDB 5.9/10 from roughly 6,900, while its critics' rating stands at 6/10 from 270 reviews, so viewers and critics largely agree on it.
What's left behind the scenes
- Before Sam Raimi took over the project, Sam Mendes and Adam Shankman were considered as directors for this film.
- John C. Reilly was considered for the role of Frank.
- The film's fantastical world was created by Oscar-winning production designer Robert Stromberg. He constructed sets for a total of 24 locations where the film's action unfolds. Including some interiors he also worked on, this amounts to 30 sets. Thanks to Stromberg, familiar objects from childhood appeared on screen, such as the Yellow Brick Road and the Emerald City. In addition, less recognizable but no less colorful locations were built: the Witches' Throne Room; the Whimsical Forest, where Oz meets Theodora; the Dark Forest, where viewers first see the good witch Glinda; and the Porcelain City, all of whose inhabitants are made of porcelain.
- Blake Lively was offered the role of Glinda but turned it down in favor of Oliver Stone's "Savages" (2012).
- James Franco appears on screen throughout the film in the same three-piece suit that Oz flew away in from Kansas. However, this suit was impeccably made. Costume designer Gary Jones carefully studied the specifics of fashion from 1880-1930. Then, the costumer met with Franco in New York and showed the actor old photographs featuring costumes from that era. Jones and Franco agreed on the final version of Oz’s costume – a strict black suit.
- At the beginning of the film, Oz works with "Baum's Brothers Circus." This is a nod to a "Easter egg" story by L. Frank Baum, the author of the Oz book series.
- This is the second Oz film from Disney. The first was "Return to Oz" (1985).
- Sam Raimi initially envisioned either Hilary Swank or Michelle Williams in the role of Evanora. Later, when Rachel Weisz read the script, she simply fell in love with the character of Evanora, but neither the studio nor Raimi imagined her in the role. Weisz auditioned, followed by a two-hour conversation with Raimi, and ultimately landed the part. Williams, meanwhile, passed on the role of Glinda.
- The film's main character is one of the most famous wizards in the world. Frank Baum introduced him to readers worldwide in his book "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." From 1900 to 1920, Baum wrote 14 books set in the fictional world. However, none of them ever told the story of the all-powerful wizard's past. The film is a kind of cinematic prologue to the events described in the first book about the Land of Oz, and will tell the backstory of that very wizard. Most of the characters have moved directly from Baum's books to the screen. However, there will also be many new characters that viewers have never seen before, such as the Porcelain Doll and the Quadlings.
- Costume designer Gary Jones and his team prepared wardrobes for more than 1500 actors, from the Munchkins to the giants of the Migons. This titanic task took the costume designers over 23 weeks. More than 200 costumes were prepared for the main characters (Oz, Theodora, Glinda, and Evanora) alone.
- Negotiations were held with Christoph Waltz regarding a role in this film.
- The witches' costumes were created by German designer Michael Kutsche, ensuring they matched the overall vision of production designer Robert Stromberg. Kutsche worked on the witches' wardrobes together with his colleague Gary Jones.
- Olivia Wilde, Amy Adams, Blake Lively, Kate Beckinsale, Keira Knightley, and Rebecca Hall were considered for the roles of the witches.
- The film used more than 3000 props, 1400 of which were handmade specifically for the film. This number does not include the 5000 coins that prop master Russell Bobbitt made specifically for Oz's treasure chest. One side of each of these coins depicts the Yellow Brick Road, and the other – a profile of writer L. Frank Baum.
- The phrase spoken by James Franco's character, "You were there for me when any other sensible ape would have run away," is a reference to the actor's other film, "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" (2011).
- This film helped to mend the working relationship between Sam Raimi and Danny Elfman after their falling out during post-production of "Spider-Man 2" (2004).
- Robert Downey Jr. and Johnny Depp were considered for the role of Oz.
- James Franco, who plays the role of Oscar Diggs (also known as Oz), had to learn several magic tricks. This was the only way he could get into the character of the modest magician from a traveling circus. The actor's work on the set began two weeks before the official start of filming – that's how long it took Las Vegas magician Lance Burton to teach Franco his craft. The actor worked every day and mastered tricks with doves and fire. In addition, he learned to pull various objects out of a hat and make things levitate.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
