Mike Johnson To Direct CGI/Stop-Motion Animated OZ WARS

Here's Wizard of Oz project #1765 in development right now - but at least this one is trying to do something a little different. Academy Award nominated & co-Corpse Bride helmer Mike Johnson has signed on to direct Oz Wars, a CGI/Stop-Motion hybrid animated film that transforms the familiar L. Frank Baum fantasy into €œa contemporary, freaky action-packed PG-13 audience pleaser, with Dorothy caught up in a whirlwind of warrior witches, black magic, martial arts and monsters.€ Written by Rob Moreland (Space Chimbs 1 & 2) and Athena Gam (Alien Rock Band), Oz Wars is promised to be 'not just for kids' and will be set in a world that is 'dark, slick, sexy, and dangerous'. The project is setup at Vangard Films to begin shooting next year and will be made at "an unprecedentedly economical cost point" via it's use of state-of-the-art stop motion equipment. I would expect with Johnson's background from working with Tim Burton that he will keep his word on the dark tone on this new Oz. You can read the whole of Variety's story on the matter, HERE.