Zach Braff In Talks To Join Oz, The Great & Poweful

Deadline reports that Zach Braff (Scrubs) is in final talks to join Sam Raimi's Oz, The Great & Powerful. Braff is taking the role of the Wizard's (Franco) assistant which had been originally offered to John C. Rielly. A big step down in my opinion and hope there are some charismatic male actors added to this cast. Zach joins James Franco, Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz and Joey King.

Child Actress Joey King Lands Roles In Dark Knight Rises & Oz, The Great & Powerful

ShowBlitz reports that up and coming child actress Joey King (Battle: Los Angeles) has been cast in two rather large films. First she joined The Dark Knight Rises along with new additions Brett Cullen (Apollo 13) and Chris Ellis (Transformers). The role in that film is currently unknown but I wouldn't count out a young Talia al Ghul or Rachel Dawes. The site also reports that Joey has joined Sam Raimi's Oz, The Great & Powerful. Playing China Girl, a young girl made of porcelain who the Wizard (Franco) becomes somewhat of a father figure to after an evil witch (Weisz) kills her family. She joins James Franco, Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz.

Michelle Williams Confirmed As Glinda In Sam Raimi's OZ

 It's been confirmed by Variety that Michelle Williams will play Glinda the good witch in Oz, The Great & Powerful. She will star alongside James Franco, Rachel Weisz and Mila Kunis in the Disney film directed by Sam Raimi (Spider-Man, Evil Dead).

Rachel Weisz In Talks For Sam Raimi's Oz, The Great & Powerful

HeatVision confirms that Rachel Weisz is in talks to play evil witch Evanora in Oz, The Great & Powerful. She is one of three sisters who wants to rule Oz using dark magic. Michelle Williams, Hilary Swank and Blake Lively are likely to be still in contentions for the role of Glinda. James Franco (Wizard) and Mila Kunis (Theadora) are currently the only other cast members in the Sam Raimi film.

Disney Wants Michelle Williams For Oz

Vulture reports that Disney is trying to cast the rest of the roles for Sam Raimi's Oz, The Great & Powerful. They say that Raimi is championing Hilary Swank for the role of the elder witch while Disney wants Michelle Williams. I believe most of the time a director is right on the money but Sam has a trend of hiring plain-Jane actresses for his leads. From what I know about the synopsis the witches are supposed to be beyond gorgeous while Swank can be pretty at times she isn't as stunning as say Mila Kunis, Blake Lively or Michelle Williams. I have to side with Disney as Michelle is coming off some impressive roles in Shutter Island and Blue Valentine the latter earned her second Oscar nomination.

It's unknown if Blake Lively is still involved with the film as she just joined Oliver Stone's Savages. Vulture also reported that John C. Rilley was in talks to play the Wizard's (Franco) sidekick but is expected to get an offer for a role in Hunger Games instead. To be honest I'd rather see Rilley in Oz but let's hope Disney continues to give us a solid cast.

Blake Lively Could Play Glinda In Sam Raimi's Oz, The Great & Powerful

Also in the Variety article that focuses on Blake Lively is another project she could be involved with. Blake is also up for a major role in Disney's Oz, The Great & Powerful. She would play Glinda the witch in the Sam Raimi film that focuses on the arrival of the Wizard (James Franco) via hot air balloon to the land of Oz. Mila Kunis (Black Swan) previously joined the film playing Theodora the sister of Glinda and eventually becomes an evil witch.

Mila Kunis WIll Play Theodora In Sam Raimi's Oz, The Great & Powerful

Variety has official news that Mila Kunis (Book of Eli, Black Swan) has landed the role of good witch turned evil Theodora in Sam Raimi's Oz, The Great & Powerful. The Disney film which stars James Franco as a young Wizard who is a sexually charged snake oil salesman/illusionist. They also name Glinda and Evanora as the other witch roles which should be cast soon.

Mila Kunis Turns Down Akira To Star In Oz

Rising actress Mila Kunis is gathering praise for her performance in Black Swan and she's now being offered some big roles. According to Vulture Mila had been offered a role in The Hugh Brothers' Akira but turned it down to star opposite James Franco in Oz, The Great & Powerful. The Sam Raimi directed film for Disney chronicles the origin of The Wizard of Oz who will played by Franco. Kunis would play a young witch Theodorah who eventually becomes the Wicked Witch of The West. Franco had also been linked to Akira but it looks like he's chosen to work on Oz instead.

James Franco In Talks For Oz, The Great & Powerful

HeatVision reports that James Franco (Pineapple Express, 127 Hours) is in early talks to take the lead role in Disney's Oz, The Great & Powerful. Robert Downey Jr. who had been rumored previously for the role has passed on it along with other projects to focus on Avengers. There had been speculation that Johnny Depp would be the studio's second choice but he recently passed too.

James isn't the type of actor you'd expect in this womanizing/conman role but he's never been pinned down as certain type of actor. Franco is also being linked to other big projects like Ridley Scott's Prometheus and Wrath of The Titans. I'm still holding out hope that Franco will join the Prometheus cast. I wouldn't be shocked to see director Sam Raimi hire him since they've worked together on the Spider-Man films.