This article examines the release of 2013’s Oz the Great and Powerful, Disney’s new prequel to The Wizard of Oz. The film tells the story of Oscar Diggs (played by James Franco), the small-time magician who would one day be the Wizard of Oz. Producing the film was challenging because Disney had to carefully avoid using MGM-owned aspects of the Oz stories (such as the ruby slippers), but director Sam Raimi managed to navigate the legal obstacles and overcome his personal rift with film composer Danny Elfman to complete the project. With a budget of $200 million and heavy CGI effects, the PG-rated Oz is a big-budget family film. Disney’s live-action version of Alice in Wonderland surprised critics by grossing over a billion dollars worldwide, and Oz could do the same. [Article: 1,557 words]
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