Since Sony unexpectedly took a scorched earth approach to the Spider-Man franchise and severed ties with Sam Raimi, there’s been the question of what project the director would take on. World of Warcraft is the largest and most frequently mentioned attachment (though his name was tossed around for The Hobbit, and might be still, until Yates signs on the line that is dotted), with some other vague hints floating around that a reboot of The Shadow could be his next target. It appears Disney is hot to snatch up the scorned director and have him handle their prequel to The Wizard of Oz, entitled Oz, The Great and Powerful.
If Raimi and Disney can make the partnership work, then it is noted that Raimi will be courting Robert Downey Jr. to play the P.T. Barnum figure who tornado’s into town and gets labeled a wizard by easily-impressed smalls.
The 1939 classic bored the fun out of me when I was younger, so the push for this prequel leaves me unmoved. However! However, the idea of this big-budget fantasy playground being put into the hands of Sam Raimi, all the while anchored around RDJ… I feel like these 2 could have a great deal of fun with this kind of a film. Fun that I would then be able to pay a slightly unreasonable of money to watch, and possibly enjoy. Possibly a lot.
Expect word one way or another soonish- Disney is reportedly looking to get this going quick.
Source | Hollywood Insider – EW (Whose story seems to have popped up 30 minutes before the sourceless Variety piece.) Thanks to surrealeye.