It's time to follow the yellow brick road to remake-land as Deadline has reported that New Line Cinema is developing a feature-film adaptation of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and have tapped Watchmen director Nicole Kassell to helm the project.
"I am incredibly honored to join Temple Hill and New Line in bringing this beloved classic to the screen," said Kassell in a statement. "While the 1939 musical is part of my DNA, I am exhilarated and humbled by the responsibility of re-imagining such a legendary tale. The opportunity to examine the original themes — the quest for courage, love, wisdom and home — feels more timely and urgent than ever. 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." The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has served as an inspiration to countless films and TV shows over the decades, but New Line has promised that this adaptation will be a "fresh take" on the material, and as Warner Bros. owns the original 1939 film, they will be able to "draw on other elements" such as Dorothy's ruby-red slippers, which other Oz projects wouldn't be able to.
Nicole Kassell directed three episodes of HBO's Watchmen series, including the pilot, and also served as an executive producer for the entire series. It's her work on Watchmen that directly led to New Line offering her the opportunity to adapt The Wonderful World of Oz. In addition to Watchmen, Kassell has also directed episodes of The Killing, The Following, Rectify, The Americans, Better Call Saul, The Leftovers, Westworld, Castle Rock, and more. She also made her feature directorial debut with The Woodsman, a 2004 drama that starred Kevin Bacon as a convicted child molester attempted to adapt to life after prison.