”The Wizard of Oz” remake in the works

Black-ish creator Kenya Barris will write and direct the new reimagining of the classic tale of a young girl who is whisked out of Kansas. It is billed as a modern take on the piece, though the degree of musical presence is unknown.

Further details are currently kept under wraps, including release dates and casting.

There are a wealth of new versions of L Frank Baum’s beloved tale in the pipeline, including the two-part Wicked movie and a New Line production directed by Nicole Kassell (Watchmen). A separate film, telling the story from the perspective of Toto, was also planned in 2020.

Wicked is set to start rehearsals in the UK around now, with shooting to commence later this year.

The stage version of Wicked continues in the West End, while a new revival of The Wizard of Oz will run at Curve in Leicester this Christmas.