Filming Begins on ‘Oz The Great and Powerful

James Franco at the Pineapple Express Premiere
James Franco (Photo © Richard Chavez)

Walt Disney Pictures just announced filming has begun on Oz The Great and Powerful directed by Sam Raimi and starring James Franco as the young wizard, Mila Kunis as a witch named Theodora, Rachel Weisz as Kunis’ sister, Evanora, and Michelle Williams as Glinda, the Good Witch.

Filming is underway in Pontiac, Michigan, at Raleigh Studios with Joe Roth producing and Grant Curtis, Philip Steuer, and Palak Patel executive producing. The screenplay was written by Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire.

The fantasy adventure film also features Zach Braff as Franco’s circus assistant. Braff will also provide the voice of one of the film’s CGI creatures, Finley, a winged monkey who travels with the magician on his journey to Oz. Joey King is voicing China Girl, another CGI character who, according to Disney, “joins the future Wizard on his excursion through Oz.”

The Plot: Oz The Great and Powerful imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved character, the Wizard of Oz. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot — fame and fortune are his for the taking—that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting.

Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity — and even a bit of wizardry — Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.

Oz The Great and Powerful will be released on March 8, 2013.

The film’s behind the scenes team includes cinematographer Peter Deming, production designer Robert Stromberg, editor Bob Murawski, costume designer Gary Jones, visual effects artist Scott Stokdyk and special makeup artist Howard Berger. Berger is tasked with creating the creatures of Oz including the Whimsies, the Tinkers the Winkies, and the Wicked Witch of the West.