First image of James Franco from Sam Raimi’s Oz The Great and Powerful shows up online

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

While you don’t see much aside from James Franco, a top hat, and a hot air balloon, the first image from Sam Raimi’s OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL has made it online.

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.

I always look forward to Sam Raimi projects and he has certainly had plenty of time to work on this one. I will reserve any kind of judgement until I see a trailer, but part of me is hoping against hope that it is grounded in some sort of tangible special effects and not completely CGI. I know the world of Oz is so fantastic that CGI may be the only route, but when I think back to watching RETURN TO OZ, the sets for the castle and yellow brick road made it feel more tangible than THE WIZARD OZ did. My gut tells me this will end up looking more like Tim Burton’s ALICE IN WONDERLAND than anything else.

OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL opens March 8, 2013.