Kenya Barris was reported in August 2022 as the writer and director of a Warner Bros. reimagining of The Wizard of Oz, based specifically on L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Barris described a contemporary story reflecting LGBTQ, cultural, and socioeconomic communities. The project’s current production status remains unconfirmed: available reporting through September 2026 does not establish a cast, filming, release date, or cancellation.
What is the Kenya Barris Wizard of Oz project?
TheWrap reported on August 15, 2022, that Barris would write and direct the Warner Bros. film, with his Khalabo Ink Society banner producing. The announcement identified Baum’s novel as the project’s source, rather than confirming a scene-for-scene remake of the 1939 Judy Garland film. TheWrap’s announcement said the book was published in 1900 and inspired 13 additional Oz books; that is the publication’s reported figure.
Barris’s description of the project emphasized a contemporary perspective. In a statement reported by The Advocate on September 26, 2022, he said: “Now we’re going to turn a mirror on where we’re at right now and take disparate characters from the LGBTQ community, from different cultural communities and socioeconomic communities, and tell a story that reflects the world. I think this is the best time to do that.” The Advocate’s report reproduced the statement.
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The Wizard Of Oz | $14.22 | Buy on Amazon |
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Is the remake still happening?
The project was announced in 2022, but its present status is not confirmed by reliable public information located through September 2026. A recent DocumentaryTube status roundup found no reliable confirmation of a cast, filming, a finished screenplay, a release date, or formal cancellation. That lack of confirmation does not prove the project is inactive; it means there is not enough public evidence to say that it is in production, cancelled, or scheduled.
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For historical context, GameSpot reported in August 2022 that no production start date or casting had been announced at that time. That was an update from the announcement period, not a current status report. GameSpot’s August 2022 coverage records that early uncertainty.
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Is this the same project as the Nicole Kassell adaptation?
No. The Advocate also reported a separate New Line adaptation with Nicole Kassell attached to direct. It described that project as drawing on both Baum’s novel and the 1939 film. The Barris announcement was for Warner Bros., named Barris as writer-director, and singled out the original novel as its source. The available reporting does not establish how the two projects’ plans relate or whether either will proceed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What book is the announced film based on?
The source named for the Barris project is L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, first published in 1900, not simply the 1939 film. Readers interested in the story’s original literary version can look for a physical edition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; no edition is established as an official tie-in to the Barris project.
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