New "Wizard of Oz" Goes to a Darker Place

The 1939 film "Wizard of Oz" starring Judy Garland was great fun for the entire family to enjoy. A few big names in the movie business are looking to remedy that. Warner Brothers Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures will work together to create a less family-friendly version of the film. That's right -- they're going to take bright, beautiful Oz, sweet singing Dorothy and company and drop them all into a darker, more sinister place. The writers and producers promise a "grittier and nastier" version of the classic tale, reports Digital Spy.

In fact, the screenwriter for the new version is Josh Olson, who worked on "A History of Violence." Olson pitched the idea for the new flick, teaming up with producer Todd MacFarlane (creator of "Spawn") for the remake, though apparently the two differ on the tone of the re-schooled film. Olson reportedly wants a more PG version, but MacFarlane is looking for a darker, edgier PG-13 take on the tale. Apparently, MacFarlane's goal is to persuade Lord of the Rings fans and the like to embrace the new "Oz." You've still got Dorothy trapped in an odd place, but she's much closer to Ripley from "Alien" than a helpless singing girl." Olson, on the other hand, wants "'Harry Potter' dark," not "'Seven' dark," reports Actress Archives.

"The Wizard of Oz" is based upon L. Frank Baum's classic novel. And if you're thinking that you already know what will happen in the new film, think again. Olson assures Variety magazine that the new version is actually more of a sequel than a remake.