Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz movie title and poster art

Look what is now available from Boomerang! The movie is called The Wizard, the Witch, and the Crystal Ball and seems like it will provide some backstory to what happened to the Wicked Witch of the West and the Wizard before this continuation of the Oz story.

I am beyond excited...if anyone has seen it please let me know what you thought!

William Shatner on "The Steam Engines of Oz"

Closer Weekly published an interview in which William Shatner discussed his work on The Steam Engines of Oz, releasing June 5th. Unfortunately, when asked about the strengths of the movie, Shatner seemed to say it was not the animation. Shatner voices the Wizard.

"Part of the appeal is the adult knowledge that behind everybody lurks somebody else. That's as intriguing a truth as some of the stuff that I've done that I have no explanation for why they remain such perennials. Star Trek is one example, of course, but what is the reason that a couple of episodes of The Twilight Zone I've done are always among the most popular and played all the time?"
It's a charming story that I feel will hold the audience's imagination."

Read the full interview here.

Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz movie upcoming

According to Variety, season 2 of Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz will launch with a movie special this memorial day! From their website:

After premiering on Boomerang in June 2017, the original series will kick off season two with a Memorial Day movie special. Season two premiere episodes will continue into 2019. After the Wicked Witch of the West’s defeat, Queen Ozma has appointed Dorothy the Princess of Emerald City. With her feet firmly grounded in her ruby slippers, Dorothy tackles her royal duties with enthusiasm, bravery and farm girl feistiness — ready to track down and put a stop to any problem that comes Oz’s way.

Lost in Oz Season 1 Part 2 preview

Here is the trailer for Season 1, Part 2 of Lost in Oz, premiering in June on Amazon Prime!
Official synopsis:

Winner of three Daytime Emmys including Outstanding Children’s Animated Program, Lost in Oz follows the story of Dorothy and Toto as they continue their magical adventures to find their way home in 13 new episodes. Working together with their friends, they must find their way out of the Deadly Desert and save Emerald City from the Nome Kingdom to have any chance of getting back to Kansas.

I'm really looking forward to the new episodes. They put an interesting twist on Oz and I love the scientific angle of the series, as well as picking out all the Oz references.

Will you be streaming?

Carmen Sandiego steals the Ruby Slippers!

Kalie Kaimann rendition of "Over the Rainbow"

Enjoy this rendition of Over the Rainbow by Kalie Kaimann, provided by the Chicago Sun Times.

New episodes of Lost in Oz coming in June

Mark your calendars! Lost in Oz returns with new episodes on Amazon Prime June 8th!

2019 Calendar

I'm always scouring the depths of the internet for Oz related news and merchandise, and it looks like this calendar will be released later this year for 2019. It's somewhat of a rarity to see merchandise based on the original illustrations from the book! This is a welcome change for me, as the calendars based on the movie tend to have the same images year after year.

You can preorder the calendar here.

Trailer Tuesday: The Wizard of Oz on tour

Enjoy this look at The Wizard of Oz National Tour!

Interview with Kari Wahlgren, voice of Dorothy in Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz

KCUR has a fabulous and extensive interview with Kari Wahlgren, voice of Dorothy (and Ozma!) in Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz.

In the interview, they talk about Kari's Kansas upbringing, what playing Dorothy means to her, and how voice acting is different from other methods of performing.

Playing Dorothy:

It's been kind of a dream come true. There was something about this one that was very emotional. 

Getting at the heart of her character is the important thing. She has a very, very strong sense of friendship and loyalty. She's very compassionate.

On the freedom of voice acting:

You're not limited by what you look like or your age. I'm going through a phase right now where I play a lot of babies and grandmas on cartoons.

Listen to the full audio interview here, which includes a charming on the spot demonstration of Kari voicing Dorothy and Ozma.

The Vinyl of Oz: The Scarecrow of Oz

Ray Bolger returned to his most famous role as the Scarecrow in this release by Disney records in 1965 based on L. Frank Baum's book of the same name. In a modern twist, Glinda monitors the happenings in Oz via her magic television set!

Interview with Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz producer

Channel 24 recently conducted an interview with Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz producer Jeff DeGrandis, who discussed the shaping of the project, his favorite episode and character, and what messages he hopes the show will leave viewers with.

On similarities to other Oz projects and the original books:

Well for starters, it was key for us to have a clear vision of the design scheme, while remaining true to the original. It was imperative for us to do the original justice by retaining the power of the 1939 MGM that we all remember in our minds. We needed to be mindful of the characters, who they are from a personality perspective, how the characters engaged with one another as well as how they existed in each environment created.

On the message of the show:

I believe that the show is made for everyone. Everyone who sees the show, moms; dads; grandparents and younger kids, will be instantly attracted to the show, especially mothers. Moms and dads will love the show because it will remind them of when they saw the Wizard of Oz – a nostalgic moment in time. Memories will be sparked by the story lines, the characters and the music.
There is a very serious tone of compassion that runs throughout the series, which is evident in and amongst the characters especially between Dorothy and Wilhelmina.

Read the full interview here. 

Trailer Tuesday: Return to Oz

This week's trailer is for the much discussed Return to Oz, Disney's 1985 sequel.

This trailer refers to Mombi as a wicked queen, and has quite a splashy title card.

Interview with Roger S. Baum

USA Today recently featured an interview with Roger S. Baum.

Check out this highlight where he talks about the legacy of his great grandfather's writing and why he thinks Dorothy has endured over the years.



On the intent of the story:

“He just loved writing for children. There’s a handful of people that politicize so many things. That’s a pet peeve of mine, when someone wants to politicize Oz. It’s purely written for the enjoyment of children.”

On the significance of Dorothy:

"She's one of the very first women leaders in literature. That’s implied in the story itself."

Images from The Steam Engines of Oz

More images from The Steam Engines of Oz have been released. Check them out by clicking below.

New book releasing October 1

A new book, The Road to Oz, is set to be released October 1, 2018.

This release is described as a retelling of the making of the film, including previous adaptians and how they influenced the 1939 film, analysis of the original 1938 shooting script, and behind the scenes tidbits about the atmosphere of movie making in 1930's Hollywood.

The book is written by Jay Scarfone and William Stillman.

Read the full description below.

News Briefs

Here are several links to various stories about The Wizard of Oz in the news recently.

The Wicked Witch of the West's Crystal Ball is on display at Cornell University.

A review of different advertisements tying in to The Wizard of Oz.

Lots of discussion of the theme park reopening for select summer and fall dates.

Did you know...Liza Minnelli wore custom made Ruby Slippers to her wedding?

Ben Platt on his love for "The Wizard of Oz"

Tony award winner and star of Dear Evan Hansen and Pitch Perfect Ben Platt discovered his love for The Wizard of Oz when he was 4 years old. He recently spoke to People magazine about what the movie means to him.

I just loved the idea of going to this completely different world of unknown fantasy where the sky’s the limit. It made every day feel fantastical.
I wanted to be Dorothy really badly. I would wear red slippers around my house, had this blue jumper that was close enough to what she wore, and a giant yellow lab that I would [call] Toto.

On a related note, Ben also sang a cover of Judy Garland's "The Man that Got Away" you can hear below.

The Steam Engines of Oz Trailer

And...we have a trailer.