Oz - Tony Baxter's Final Project

[PeterAlt]

Apparently, Tony Baxter's final project was an Oz Land that would have been built at DL. When the Great and Powerful movie got came out, I noticed that the art style of the set design would blend in nicely with the art of the design of FLE. I said back then that this would make a nice addition to the MK, next to FLE. Now that I know such a project was indeed in the works for DL, I want to keep a thread open dedicated to any whisper on the project and its prospects for ever coming to WDW.

It would be such a shame if Disney lets it sit eternally next to the model of WRE and never get built!

Please share your thoughts and knowledge of it here! Thanks!

 

[Californian Elitist]

I'm not sure if anyone even knows what the Oz plans look like...

 

[JustInTime]

I'm not sure if anyone even knows what the Oz plans look like...

The OP isn't saying that. They are saying that the art style of the new Oz movie reminded them of the FLE style..

 

[raymusiccity]

Sounds like another snipe hunt

 

[Californian Elitist]

The OP isn't saying that. They are saying that the art style of the new Oz movie reminded them of the FLE style..

Yes, I read that part. But the OP speaks of this project as if there's available concept art with ideas and models and such, like WRE. There may not even be concept art.

I don't want the OP to get their hopes up.

 

[Hakunamatata]

I'm not sure Oz did well enough to foster a land at MK....

 

[Magenta Panther]

I'm not sure Oz did well enough to foster a land at MK....

Well, supposedly there's a sequel coming, but that doesn't mean that any Oz project will eventually be built. Frankly, I'm not sure if I really want one. I thought "Oz the Great and Powerful" was okay, but not nearly as good as MGM's 1939 version.

 

[stevehousse]

Well, supposedly there's a sequel coming, but that doesn't mean that any Oz project will eventually be built. Frankly, I'm not sure if I really want one. I thought "Oz the Great and Powerful" was okay, but not nearly as good as MGM's 1939 version.

Yes the 1939 MGM version is a classic but anyone who grew up in the 80s knows the best OZ film is "Return to OZ"

 

[Bairstow]

Previous thread about James Franco Land: http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/baxter-great-and-powerful-plans-for-disneyland.861577/

 

[PeterAlt]

The OP isn't saying that. They are saying that the art style of the new Oz movie reminded them of the FLE style..

Correct.

 

[PeterAlt]

Yes the 1939 MGM version is a classic but anyone who grew up in the 80s knows the best OZ film is "Return to OZ"

Please... The film was an utter disaster. It was competed during the months Eisner first became CEO. When Eisner screened what was supposed to be the final cut of the film, he called George Lucas and asked him to re-edit it and do whatever magic necessary to make the film lesser of an embarrassment. Lucas did this as a favor for Eisner and I don't think he even got editing credit for it. The film is decent now because of it. I would hate to see what it was like before Lucas put his hands on it.

 

[PeterAlt]

Yes, I read that part. But the OP speaks of this project as if there's available concept art with ideas and models and such, like WRE. There may not even be concept art.

I don't want the OP to get their hopes up.

I wasn't even thinking that, but that would be cool, though, if that work gets released. I was thinking more along the lines that this thread could be a compository of everything we find out about the project - past, present, and in the future.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I wasn't even thinking that, but that would be cool, though, if that work gets released. I was thinking more along the lines that this thread could be a compository of everything we find out about the project - past, present, and in the future.

There's a thread in the Disneyland forum on this exact topic. All there is so far is a "great and powerful" hint from Tony Baxter.

 

[PeterAlt]

There's a thread in the Disneyland forum on this exact topic. All there is so far is a "great and powerful" hint from Tony Baxter.

Using the DL version as a reference point, this thread is really about the possibilities (or improbabilities) of it coming to WDW, such as where it could go, etc.

 

[stevehousse]

Please... The film was an utter disaster. It was competed during the months Eisner first became CEO. When Eisner screened what was supposed to be the final cut of the film, he called George Lucas and asked him to re-edit it and do whatever magic necessary to make the film lesser of an embarrassment. Lucas did this as a favor for Eisner and I don't think he even got editing credit for it. The film is decent now because of it. I would hate to see what it was like before Lucas put his hands on it.

You are obviously not a child of the 80s if u don't like that movie!

It is no masterpiece by any means, but as a kid, was a fun movie to watch and those wheelers and headless Mombi still give me nightmares!

 

[Californian Elitist]

Using the DL version as a reference point, this thread is really about the possibilities (or improbabilities) of it coming to WDW, such as where it could go, etc.

Okay.

 

[stevehousse]

Also, the movie was nominated for best visual effects and the whole George Lucas thing, he did not edit the film. Disney ended up firing the originaldirector after shooting got behind, and it was George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola who helped the director get his job back...

I think a return to OZ dark ride would be too fun riding around OZ in a Gump vehicle trying to escape Mombi and the wheelers and such!

 

[PeterAlt]

You are obviously not a child of the 80s if u don't like that movie!

It is no masterpiece by any means, but as a kid, was a fun movie to watch and those wheelers and headless Mombi still give me nightmares!

Yes, I was. I didn't say a didn't like it. It was good, not great. The latest is better but not great. The original was great.

I remember the original Imagination ride had art elements similar to Return to Oz, like the Dark Castle. That whole era right before Eisner had a dark and foreboding feeling to it. I read that Eisner didn't get this and he changed it. The Black Cauldron comes to mind as an example of what I'm talking about. The story board art created during the 70's is so much different than the gloomy art created in the early 80's (before Eisner) that was used in the final product. In fact, Eisner himself sat in the editing room before its release and cut out some of the darkest moments of the film. Now that I'm thinking of it, it wasn't just Disney. Look at Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Wow, Eisner is a hypocrite bashing his Disney predecessor for going dark - he was president of Paramount when Temple of Doom was released! And look at the darkness of Return of the Jedi, which would have been even darker - with a tragic ending of Han getting killed - had Lucas not decided to change things...

 

[SirLink]

Well, supposedly there's a sequel coming, but that doesn't mean that any Oz project will eventually be built. Frankly, I'm not sure if I really want one. I thought "Oz the Great and Powerful" was okay, but not nearly as good as MGM's 1939 version.

Nah Oz G+P was better than the original probably because people weren't breaking out in song every few seconds.

 

[Sped2424]

I know they want to do a great and powerful sequel and from what I have seen in the rumors it is still going to happen, I would be more than happy to see an oz land be done with baxter over viewing it. I liked the new film, not sure I liked how seemingly helpless three magic wielding witches were without a "wizard" to rule over them but It was nonetheless fun. If anything I liked the take on Theodora I just wish Disney bought the rights to wicked, as for me that musical was absolutely amazing and resonated a much more rounded story while at the same time retaining that charm that made the first film so loved. But I digress, anyways there is no doubt in my mind that an oz land is not coming anywhere near wdw in the foreseeable future.