New Hollywood remake of 'Wizard of Oz' is in the works

Hollywood is preparing to take another trip down the yellow brick road with a remake of classic movie 'The Wizard of Oz,' one of the most celebrated films of all time.

New Line Cinema, a unit of AT&T Inc's Warner Bros studio, said on Tuesday it was developing a fresh take on the story of Dorothy and her visit to the Land of Oz that was detailed in L. Frank Baum's children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which was published in 1900.

Nicole Kassell, an executive director and producer of HBO's Emmy-winning Watchmen series, will direct the new movie, the studio said.

"The opportunity to examine the original themes - the quest for courage, love, wisdom and home - feels more timely and urgent than ever," Kassell said in a statement. "These are profoundly iconic shoes to fill, and I am eager to dance alongside these heroes of my childhood as we pave a newly minted yellow brick road!"

Few details were provided, but the new movie will not be a musical. The original 1939 film starring Judy Garland featured the song Over the Rainbow, which won an Academy Award for best original song. The film lost the best picture trophy that year to Gone with the Wind.

Since then, there have been several remakes and spinoffs, including long-running Broadway hit Wicked and 2013 Disney film Oz the Great and Powerful, starring James Franco.

More from Entertainment

Coming Up on Dubai Eye

  • Nights on Dubai Eye 103.8

    11:00pm - 6:00am

    Dubai Eye complements the conversation with the music you love from the eighties, nineties and newer.

  • The Business Breakfast

    6:00am - 10:00am

    The Business Breakfast is the day’s must listen for the UAE’s business leaders, and those who aspire to be.

BUSINESS BREAKFAST LATEST

On Dubai Eye

  • Flying Taxis

    It sounds like an episode of The Jetsons, but the sight of flying taxis whizzing around our cities could be much closer than you think.

  • Tough penalties for deliberate tax evasion

    The UAE has said that tougher penalties will come into force from 1st August for not keeping proper corporate tax records.