Kenya Barris is taking the yellow brick road to Oz for Warner Bros.’ upcoming “Wizard of Oz” remake.
The creator of “Black-ish” is set to write and direct the reimagining, which is completely separate from New Line’s previously announced retelling of “The Wizard of Oz.” New Line’s version will be directed by Nicole Kassell (“Watchmen”) and is described as “fresh take” on Dorothy and the Land of Oz. Any specifics about Barris’s version have been kept under wraps.
Both projects are based on L. Frank Baum’s beloved book “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” which has been retold on the big and small screen many times over the years, the most famous being the classic 1939 musical starring Judy Garland. It follows a Kansas farm girl named Dorothy who is swept away by a tornado and finds herself — and her dog Toto — in the colorful Land of Oz.
Before he’s off to see the Wizard, Barris is completing production on his first feature film, “You People,” for Netflix. The story, from a screenplay Barris wrote with Jonah Hill, centers on a new couple and their families as they reckon with modern love amid culture clashes, societal expectations and generational differences. The ensemble cast includes Hill, Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Nia Long.
Barris is also writing a remake of the 1992 sports comedy “White Men Can’t Jump,” with rapper Jack Harlow on board to play the role that Woody Harrelson portrayed in the original film. The multi-hyphenate is best known for creating the ABC sitcom “Black-ish” and its two spinoffs, “Grown-ish” and “Mixed-ish.” On the film front, Barris penned the screenplay to “Girls Trip” and Warner Bros.’ 2019 remake of “Shaft.”
