Update: ‘The Wizard of Oz’ Remake on the Way, Promises To Modernize the Classic Film

It’s been several years since the revelation that Kenya Barris will reboot the cinematic classic The Wizard of Oz (1939), but where does the project currently stand?

First announced in 2022, the remake of The Wizard of Oz is said to put a fresh spin on the beloved musical film. While there’s no word on whether audiences can expect reprises of iconic tracks such as “Over the Rainbow” or “Ding Dong The Witch is Dead,” Barris is thought to totally reimagine the adventures of Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion in Oz.

Related: ‘Wish’ – The ‘Snow White’ Remake We Needed

The director – who previously created and led the ABC sitcom Black-ish and directed the Disney+ remake of White People Can’t Jump (2023) – spoke to Variety at the Sundance Film Festival in 2024 about the project. Not only did Barris confirm that the script is done, but he revealed a few differences between the remake and the original.

“The original Wizard of Oz took place during the Great Depression and it was about self-reliance and what people were going through,” Barris explained. “I think this is the perfect time to switch the characters and talk about what someone imagines their life could be.”

While the original film saw Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog Toto transported to Oz from her home in Kansas via a tornado, the remake will apparently take place in the Bottoms, a huge apartment complex located in Inglewood, California.

“It’s ultimately a hero’s journey, someone thinks something’s better than where they’re at, and they go and realize that where they’re at is where they should be,” said Barris. “I want people to be proud and happy about where they’re from. But I want the world to take a look at it and I hope that will come through.”

Barris – who is also reportedly working on a remake of the Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) – also addressed his stance on the increasing trend of recycling IP. While he admitted that adapting or reimagining any beloved intellectual property will generate backlash, he also remained confident that it can be a good thing.

Related: Into The Unknown: Live-Action ‘Frozen’ Remake

“I’m still a believer in IP,” he said. “I think I get shit for it sometimes but I believe that the idea of some of those great stories – stories are all told again and again and again. So having the opportunity to take some of those IPs and tell them from a different point of view is a gift that I hopefully keep getting.”

What’s Happening with the Remake Today?

Since Barris last spoke about his remake of The Wizard of Oz, there’s been no update on the project’s current status. The primary story about Barris to hit the headlines in late 2024 was his involvement in a feud with his sister, Colette Barris, who filed for a restraining order that would prevent him “from directly or indirectly contacting” their mother, 83-year-old Ernestine Barris, about the sibling duo’s legal battle.

Of course, in the meantime, we’ve received a whole other reboot of The Wizard of Oz. Well, kind of. The first installment in a two-part adaptation of the iconic Broadway musical Wicked hit theaters in November, starring Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp, the future Wicked Witch of the West, and Ariana Grande as Glinda Upland, who will one day be known as Glinda the Good. The film opened to rave reviews and received several Academy Award nominations – including individual nominations for both Erivo and Grande – with the second part due to release later this year.

If or when a release date will be set for Barris’ remake of The Wizard of Oz, however, remains to be seen.

Are you excited to see a remake of The Wizard of Oz? Let us know in the comments!