Sam Raimi Secured for Oz: The Great and Powerful

Months after his initial attachment (and subsequent downplaying to the press) is confirmation Oz: The Great and Powerful will be Sam Raimi's next film.

While verifying his directorial commitment, "TOLDJA" also has word Disney has commissioned David Lindsay-Abaire for rewrites on the Wizard of Oz prequel. The two collaborated previously when the Pulitzer Prize was brought onboard for Spider-Man 4 back in late 2008. I don't know if it was collaboration, more than it was a screenwriter being hired with the hopes of helping to tourniquet the bleeding disagreements between director Raimi and studio Sony over direction for the web-slinger.

As for Robert Downey Jr. as the title character, he's yet to sign on the dotted line. But the prospects of his headlining the fantasy/adventure appear good, and he's said to be "warming" as Raimi fine-tunes the material.

The director/actor pairing of Downey and Raimi is too interesting to pass up – even if it's something as questionable as a prequel (or "re-imagination" by the way this sounds) to one of the few genuinely perfect films there is.