‘Watchmen’ series director tapped to reimagine ‘The Wizard of Oz’

More than 80 years after Dorothy, Toto and the gang first followed that yellow brick road, New Line Cinema has greenlighted a remake of “The Wizard of Oz.”

The 1939 classic film, adapted from L. Frank Baum’s heralded novel, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” will receive a “fresh take” with Nicole Kassell of “Watchmen” fame tapped to direct, Variety reported.

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“I am incredibly honored to join Temple Hill and New Line in bringing this beloved classic to the screen,” Kassell told the outlet. “While the 1939 musical is part of my DNA, I am exhilarated and humbled by the responsibility of re-imagining such a legendary tale.”

Deadline first reported the news.

According to Fox Business, multiple reboots of the celebrated classic have been attempted with mixed results.

Successes included the 1970s Broadway show “The Wiz,” which later became a film starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson; the widely popular Broadway incarnation “Wicked;” and the 2013 James Franco-led film prequel, “Oz the Great and Powerful.” Meanwhile, flops have included the 1970s “The Wonderful Land of Oz” and “Return to Oz” in 1985, the network reported.

“The opportunity to examine the original themes — the quest for courage, love, wisdom and home — feels more timely and urgent than ever. These are profoundly iconic shoes to fill, and I am eager to dance alongside these heroes of my childhood as we pave a newly minted yellow brick road!” Kassell told Variety.

According to the outlet, Kassell is “regarded as the visual architect” of HBO’s acclaimed “Watchmen” series, which recently earned her an Emmy, and called her “flair for world-building” the quality that attracted New Line’s interest in her talents.

Cox Media Group