Having ended the year with her career best turn in Black Swan - the incredibly hot Mila Kunis' stock levels are at an all time high and it's no surprise to hear that she's become the subject of a bidding war between two major Hollywood studio's. Vulture report tonight that Kunis has walked away from the opportunity of re-uniting with The Book of Eli co-director Allen Hughes for his live-action adaptation of the classic anime Akira at Warner Bros to instead star as Theodorah, the future Wicked Witch of the West in Sam Raimi's Wizard of Oz prequel at Disney. The Witch will be the love interest in The Great and Powerful Oz before turning all cold-hearted and evil at the end. It's said that Kunis met with Raimi and James Franco this week and a deal has been quickly struck. With Kunis' involvement, it's said Franco is now 100% sure of starring in the film as The Wizard when filming begins in July. Kunis & Franco share an on screen history having played a couple in last year's action comedy Date Night;Great news then for Disney who have been the victim of something of a revolving door of talent for the past year having lost out on Robert Downey Jr to star as The Wizard & their unsuccessful attempts to court Johnny Depp but with Kunis & Franco, they have now secured a team of thesps on the rise. Recently re-written by David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole) the film;
tells the story of the origins of the Wizard, and of Ozs infamous witches like Glinda, who becomes the Good Witch of the North, and Evanorah, who becomes the Wicked Witch of the East (though best remembered as the new, ruby-slippered sub-basement of Dorothys farmhouse).
The Great and Powerful Oz is likely to open either Christmas 2012, or perhaps more likely in March 2013, around the same slot that served Disney so well with their Tim Burton/Johnny Depp Alice in Wonderland, which I don't need to remind you earned $1 billion. The movie will be Sam Raimi's most commercial of his whole career and if you are bemoaning his wasted talents on something like this, do take the time to read our 10 Films We'd Rather see him make instead.