Ashanti, Tarantino Off to See Muppets in 'Oz'
Tue Aug 24, 2004 01:34 AM ET
By Nellie Andreeva
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - R&B singer Ashanti and director Quentin Tarantino are set to star in ABC's original movie tentatively titled "The Muppets' Wizard of Oz."
Queen Latifah, meanwhile, is in final negotiations to appear in the Muppet take on the classic L. Frank Baum novel.
Ashanti plays aspiring performer Dorothy Gale, who works at the diner of her Auntie Em (Latifah) in a small Kansas town while dreaming of hitting the big time.
One day, a tornado sweeps up the trailer where Dorothy lives, and she finds herself in a Muppet version of Oz. There, she meets the Munchkins (played by the Muppet rats), the Scarecrow (Kermit the Frog), the Tin Man (Gonzo) and the Lion (Fozzie).
The group's quest to get the Wicked Witch (Miss Piggy) culminates with a fight scene between Dorothy and the witch.
As the action is about to begin, the film cuts to Tarantino pitching to Kermit how the scene should be done -- a cameo written specifically for the "Kill Bill" director.
Kirk R. Thatcher, who directed NBC's successful "Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie" in 2002, is on board to shoot the film, which will air as part of the Wonderful World of Disney franchise. It will feature several music numbers but will not be a musical.
The Jim Henson Co., the creator of the "Muppets," began development on the film with ABC before the network's Disney parent bought Henson's "Muppets" and "Bear in the Big Blue House" properties in February.
Ashanti will next be seen in Paramount's "Coach Carter," starring Samuel L. Jackson. Queen Latifah, who received an Oscar nomination for her supporting role in the musical "Chicago," was most recently seen in "Barbershop 2: Back in Business." Her upcoming movies include "Taxi," "Beauty Shop" and "The Cookout."
Tarantino's acting credits include a guest arc on ABC's "Alias," as well as the 1995 feature "Destiny Turns on the Radio."
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
