First Look: James Franco As Oz The Great And Powerful

The James Franco Forever website has uploaded a scan from a foreign film magazine that reveals the first look at James Franco's title character in "Oz The Great and Powerful". And well, he kind of looks just like James Franco, doesn't he? Well I guess the top hat and the hot air balloon are supposed to be clues but is this the worst conceived promotional poster of all time? We suppose with the film following the origins of L. Frank Baum's beloved eccentric from "The Wizard of Oz" story, there's not a great deal physically they could do to make Franco look like the character that exists in our heads. This is a bit of a tough one for Franco... "Oz" isn't like Willy Wonka or Sherlock Holmes or any other well known characters that have been re-imagined lately. He is a character who is more mystery than actual facts but in a way this is freeing for Franco to go to town on whatever take he likes. Set for release March 8th, 2013 - "Oz The Great and Powerful" reunites Franco with his Spider-Man trilogy director Sam Raimi and follows Oscar Diggs as the small-time circus magician whose dubious ethics (basically he is a conman/showman) who is run out of Kansas and finds himself in the colourful Land of Oz, where a better life and fame is waiting for him. However the three witches of Oz, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams) aren't so sure he is the Wizard the people of Oz have been expecting. Oscar finds himself drawn into the apocalyptic problems facing Oz and its inhabitants and will need all his magic and illusion to fight off the evil threat to save the day! The film is expected to be at Comic Con so maybe a first teaser and some more promotional stills are due then? I'm a huge Sam Raimi fan and I'm currently re-working my way through his Spider-Man trilogy but I've had a gnawing sense that this Disney movie is a sellout move for him. Though I sincerely hope I'm wrong.