6 ‘Oz’ Themed Films/TV Shows To Watch While You Wait For ‘Wicked’

One of the most anticpated films of the year is the Jon M. Chu-directed “Wicked” starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as Elphaba and Glinda, two talented witches who go on a journey to fulfill their destinies of becoming the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

Based on characters by L. Frank Baum, novel by Gregory Maguire, and musical book/screenplay by Winnie Holzman, “Wicked” is not the only time the story of Oz has been reworked and reimagined. There are common themes in many of the iterations. The state of Kansas is often a focal point, a tornado is usually involved at some point, a yellow brick road is thrown in, a community of munchins or flying monkeys are included, some go from black and white to color on screen, and others tend to incorporate music. No matter you’re fancy, there’s a handful of ways you can enjoy different versions of Oz. Below are 6 Oz themes films and TV shows to watch while you wait for “Wicked” part 1 this fall.

“The Wizard of Oz” (1939)
Let’s start with the classic. Judy Garland brought Dorothy Gale to life with her little dog Toto as they traveled somewhere over the rainbow and ended up in the magical land of Oz. There she teamed up with a brainless scarecrow, a heartless tinman and a cowardly lion to defeat the wicked witch. This was my first introduction to Oz and I’ll always love it. One part that always makes me smile is The Lullaby League and The Lollipop Guild. (You can watch “The Wizard of Oz” on Max.)

“The Wiz” (1978)
Let’s talk about how you can take a classic, add some flavor and make it slightly better. Then you’ll get “The Wiz.” Quincy Jones did his big thing scoring the music for the film. Diana Ross as Dorothy was delightful and comical. THEE Michael Jackson as the scarecrow, Nipsey Russell as Tinman, and Ted Ross as Lion rounded out the perfect esemble. The great thing about “The Wiz” is how it’s a true “if you know you know” movie. It’s so Black coded and layered with the Black experience while displaying all facets of Blackness with a banging soundtrack. (You can watch “The Wiz” on Prime Video)

“Return to Oz” (1985)
In “Return to Oz” an interesting take on Dorothy’s story was told. Fairuza Balk plays the familiar charcter who is placed in a mental facility because her Aunt Em is convinced she’s unstable and suffering from delusions for speaking about Oz. After escaping, trading the signature pet pup for a pen hen in this one, Dorothy returns to Oz and this is not the yellow bricked, techicolorworld you may be used to. It’s bleak and filled with creepy men bend over with wheels for limps and a queen that switches heads. That’s what I distinctly remember about this one. (This one is not streaming, but I’m sure you can find something on YouTube.)

“Oz The Great and Powerful” (2013) 
For the first time that I know of, the origins of the Wizard of Oz is told in “Oz The Great and Powerful” with James Franco starring as Oz. Oz is a struggling traveling magician with ambitions to be a great man and winds up in Oz after being swept up in a torando that takes him to the magical land. There he meets Theodora (Mila Kunis) who believes he is the man sent to save the people of Oz, but a secret between fellow witches Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams) reveals something wicked. (You can watch “Oz The Great and Powerful” on Starz)

Once Upon a Time (2011-2018) 
What I absolutely adore about Once Upon a Time is how is took the fairy tales we all know and love and placed them in reality. It took me some time to know about Once Upon a Time, but when I deiscovered it, oh baby I was hooked. The show introduced new ways to get to know Snow White, Peter Pan, Belle, Rumpelstiltskin along with modern stories like Elsa and Anna and Merida, tying The Evil Queen to The Wicked Witch by making them sisters was one of Once Upon a Time many twists. Rebecca Mader joined the show in season 3, epsiode 12 as Zelena aka the Wicked Witch as the show tied her story to Oz, Stroybrooke, and back to the enchanted forest. (You can watch Once Upon a Time on Hulu)

Emerald City (2016-2017)
Finally, Emerald City yet again highlights the Dorothy charcter as she travels to a land and navigates a alternative version of Oz with Adria Arjona as Dorothy Gale. This gritty reimagining takes a modern twist finding Dorothy as a nurse who winds up in Oz landing on the Witch of The East. We see familiar themes from Oz, but this one is maybe the adaptation most outside the box. (You can watch Emerald City on Peacock)

“Wicked” part one is expected to premiere in theaters November 27, 2024 with the second installment coming November 26, 2025.

Which Oz themed film or TV show is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Photo: Universal Pictures