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Watchmen director Nicole Kassell has been hired to helm a Wizard of Oz remake.
Kassell will be adapting L. Frank Baum’s children’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, rather than directly remaking Victor Fleming’s 1939 film.
Deadline reports that New Line chose Kassell for her “striking visual tone” and “ability to adapt challenging material,” and called the filmmaker “a meticulous world-builder” during her time working on Watchmen.
Kassell won a DGA Award for her work on Watchmen, which she directed three out of nine episodes for. She also won an Emmy award as executive producer on the show.
The filmmaker made her feature debut with The Woodsman, which earned Kassell a nomination for Best First Feature at the Indie Spirit Awards.
“I am incredibly honoured to join Temple Hill and New Line in bringing this beloved classic to the screen,” Kassell said in a statement.
“While the 1939 musical is part of my DNA, I am exhilarated and humbled by the responsibility of re-imagining such a legendary tale.”
She continued: “The opportunity to examine the original themes — the quest for courage, love, wisdom and home — feels more timely and urgent than ever. These are profoundly iconic shoes to fill, and I am eager to dance alongside these heroes of my childhood as we pave a newly minted yellow brick road.”
There is no word on casting for the film yet – stay tuned for further updates as they come in.
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