Another movie drawing on the legacy of 1939’s The Wizard of Oz is coming next year, this time a documentary from Leonardo DiCaprio. Based on the first book in L. Frank Baum’s fantasy series, Victor Fleming’s The Wizard of Oz is considered to be one of the greatest movies ever made, a feat it accomplished after surviving a notoriously tumultuous production.
Per Variety, DiCarpio’s production company Appian Way is producing the forthcoming documentary Oz, along with Chad A. Verdi’s Verdi Productions and Danny Strong, and Tom Donahue (Mafia Spies, This Changes Everything) as director. With never-before-seen footage, Oz will show what went on behind the scenes of the movie and delve into why it has remained such a beloved classic.
The Wizard of Oz most famously stars Judy Garland as Dorothy, as well as Frank Morgan, Margaret Hamilton, Billie Burke, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, and Jack Haley. The landmark movie went through several directors before Fleming got the gig and became the one most commonly credited for it, and there are many infamous stories about catastrophes on set.
For instance, Hamilton was severely burned while playing the Wicked Witch of the West, and other costumes were extremely dangerous. Additionally, while accounts differ on how Garland was treated specifically on this set, she had an overall difficult life because of how she was abused as a young actress. Garland was launched to widespread fame by The Wizard of Oz.
There are many stories to tell in a documentary, which Oz will probably show. Now in production, the documentary seems to have the aim of delving into the movie’s lasting impact, while saying that it “tested the limits of its creators.” The Wizard of Oz went on to inspire generations of viewers and filmmakers, but it was not a happy experience for many involved.
The Wicked witch and flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz
It is a monumental legacy, as The Wizard of Oz has spawned sequels, spinoffs, and reimaginings, especially with Baum’s original source material entering the public domain. In addition to productions such as Return to Oz, The Wiz, Oz the Great and Powerful, Tin Man, and more, this eventually led to Wicked, the smash hit Broadway musical and now two-part movie.
With Variety reporting that Oz will have a 2026 release, DiCaprio and the other producers could not be working on this at a better time: Interest in The Wizard of Oz will be driven by the conclusion of Wicked. After the epic tale focusing on the Wicked Witch of the West, it will be interesting to see how the documentary about how the phenomenon started will be received.
Release Date
August 25, 1939
Runtime
102 minutes
Director
Victor Fleming
Writers
Edgar Allan Woolf, Florence Ryerson, Noel Langley, L. Frank Baum
Producers
Mervyn LeRoy
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Judy Garland
Dorothy Gale
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Ray Bolger
“Hunk” / Scarecrow
