Idol Star to Grace Spielberg's Oz "Remake"?

I found this on wickedonbroadway.net. According to this news article, Spielberg has contacted Katherine McPhee (of American Idol fame) about being in a Wizard of Oz "Remake." The article speculates that this might have something to do with Wicked. Also, according to this article, Spielberg has the rights to make a Wicked film, something I've never heard.

Anyway, in my humble opinion, I'd love to see McPhee tackle Elphaba and I'd really love to see Reese Witherspoon take on the role of Glinda (this article says nothing about that, it's just something I'd like to see.)

So here's the link, comments ahoy:
http://breathoffreshink.com/steven-spielberg-casts-katharine-mcphee-in-oz-remake/

The Wizard of Oz just shouldn't be remade.

Whenever the Wicked movie is made, Idina Menzel needs to Elphaba, or I will be an angry, depressed little girl. :P Unless by the time its made, she's too old. At that point I'd say go for McPhee. I think she'd be great.

Katharine McPhee has a lovely voice and her "Over the Rainbow" was beautiful but she is not a belter. I will never for the life of me figure out how people think she can play Elphaba. She failed miserably everytime she tried a belty song because she has a soft, jazzy, more Norah Jones type voice. If she were going to do a Broadway musical, she'd be good in something Rodgers and Hammersteinesque and not "Wicked."

Sick! I got vaccinated against the McPheever and I am glad I did! She sucks and needs to not come near anything Oz related! She needs to just go away!

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There's nothing about this anywhere else, so I wouldn't worry about it at all. Even if there is talk, it's just that, talk. Many things are talked about and never developed more then that.

Actually, Spielberg has a long history with Universal Pictures, who owns the rights to WICKED; his last film MUNICH was distributed by them in fact, so it is not at all out of the question that he could be involved with some producing aspect of a planned film of WICKED. Not out of the question at all.

I don't, however, think Spielberg would do a remake of the WIZARD OF OZ, unless it were a very different retelling of the story.

Well, RETURN TO OZ was much closer to the spirit of the original Baum books and audiences stayed away in droves.

Perhaps in a post LOTR/NARNIA film world, however, there would be more of a place for a movie adaptation that stays close to the original novel. It could be really wonderful in the right hands.

exactly MB! Return to Oz freaked me out... especially the closet of heads and the Wheelies! but that discussion comes up all the time.

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No. Just No. I love Spielberg, he's wonderful, brilliant, whatever. Let's see how he'd like it if Brett Ratner re-did Jaws with the cast of Dawson's Creek.
Psssttt...Got a Crush on a Broadway Actor/Actress?

Whoa, this was all news to me. I'm interested to find out what exactly is going on.

I don't know which is worse, the thought of a "Wizard of Oz" remake, or that McPhee girl getting a role in ANYTHING, let alone "Elphaba." The girl's voice is okay for local talent shows and community theater...nothing more.

-Vincent

I too am favorable of a new movie based on the book. However, I am not favorable of anything with Katharine McPhee as its star.

~Steven

RETURN TO OZ I could see them remaking if they thought there was an audience for it (although really, at this point, any market for an OZ flick is going to be a film adaptation of WICKED, IMO.)

But a FILM remake of THE WIZARD OF OZ? Arguably one of the most recognizable and perfect and beloved films of all time? I personally think it would be DISASTROUS--both creatively and financially. It might do well for a grand total of 5 minutes and bank off of consumer curiosity, but after 5 minutes, it would TANK. Because there isn't a single thing that a remake could bring, musically or narratively, that would be either superior--or at least as worthy--as the original film. Even a straight-adaptation of the WIZARD OF OZ novel would STILL be a film adaptation of THE WIZARD OF OZ, and the film industry has already done those characters and that plot as good as it can possibly get. And so I? would boycott a remake to infinity. INFINITY.

However, not against producers creating movie versions of the other OZ novels (and there are many --at least 20 of them, I believe). So with all of those creative possibilities for adaptation for book to film (using the OZ world), I say leave the original OZ alone. For the love of Dorothy, let something be sacred!!!!

(And I shall chant "Remember the remake of PSYCHO!!" like others might chant "Remember the Alamo!!"--till I am blue in the face.)

Updated On: 6/5/06 at 03:32 AM