10 Movies Influenced By The Wizard Of Oz

The movie Wicked: For Good offers a fresh take on the beloved story of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and the classic 1939 film. Inspired by the Broadway musical Wicked, the film retells the story from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West, reimagining familiar events and giving them new meaning.

It’s not the first time someone has reimagined The Wizard of Oz. Some films closely follow the original story, adding a new spin, much like Wicked does. Others use the world and themes of Oz to tell completely new stories.

The Muppets’ Wizard Of Oz (2005)

The Muppets are famous for hilariously spoofing just about everything you can think of. Some of their most successful films playfully rework popular genres like heist movies – think The Great Muppet Caper – and classic stories, including adaptations of Muppet Treasure Island, The Muppet’s Christmas Carol, and even The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz.

Although The Muppet’s Christmas Carol stood out as the strongest, all of these films captured the lovable spirit of the Muppets. This particular movie, originally made for television in 2005, featured a surprising and fun human cast including Ashanti, Quentin Tarantino, David Alan Grier, and Queen Latifah alongside the Muppets.

Ashanti stars as Dorothy, and Jeffrey Tambor plays the Wizard in this Muppet-filled take on the classic story. Dorothy’s friends and even the Wicked Witch of the West are all Muppets! Although critics didn’t love it – it has a 30% rating on Rotten Tomatoes – the movie was very popular with audiences, especially younger viewers, and is a fun Muppets adventure.

Oz (1976)

Released in 1976, the Australian film Oz is a fresh take on The Wizard of Oz, setting the classic story in 1970s Australia. The title itself – Australia’s nickname is “Oz” – adds a clever layer to the narrative. This version also aims for a slightly older, young adult audience.

Sixteen-year-old Joy Dumnstan is on tour with a band when their van crashes, leaving her unconscious. She awakens in a harsh, believable fantasy world where Glin, a kind and openly gay tailor who also happens to be a fairy, gives her a pair of red shoes and directs her to the Wizard’s last performance.

This isn’t a family-friendly movie like The Wizard of Oz. It features strong violence, a villain with truly sinister goals, and Dorothy travels with a surfer, a cold-hearted mechanic, and a rugged biker. Despite dealing with mature content, the film was nominated for four AFI Awards and received good reviews.

Return To Oz (1985)

I remember when Return to Oz came out in 1985, and it really surprised me! It wasn’t like the original Wizard of Oz at all. It was actually based on two of L. Frank Baum’s other Oz books – The Marvelous Land of Oz and Ozma of Oz – which came after the first one. Honestly, it was a lot creepier and more intense than the film I grew up with. It definitely took a darker turn!

Dorothy finds herself back in Oz, but things have changed! The evil Nome King and Princess Mombi have taken over. While she makes new friends—including Billina, Tik-Tok, Jack Pumpkinhead, and the Gump—none quite compare to the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Cowardly Lion she knew before.

As a film buff, I always found Return to Oz fascinating, even though it definitely bombed at the box office. It wasn’t the fluffy, feel-good movie people expected for kids – it was genuinely dark and scary, and a lot of people criticized it for that back then. Still, critics were actually pretty divided, and some even liked it enough to get an Oscar nomination for its visuals! Plus, it was a real breakout role for Fairuza Balk; that film is how a lot of us first discovered her as Dorothy Gale.

The Wiz (1978)

For a long time, The Wiz stood out as the most well-known retelling of The Wizard of Oz, largely due to the talented people involved. Director Sidney Lumet, known for films like 12 Angry Men and Dog Day Afternoon, made the groundbreaking decision to cast an all-African American cast. Despite this, the movie wasn’t a commercial success.

The film boasts a remarkable history, largely due to its incredible cast. Legendary singer Diana Ross played Dorothy, and Michael Jackson gave his only leading performance as the Scarecrow. Comedian Richard Pryor portrayed The Wiz. Adapted from the 1974 Broadway musical, the movie has since gained a dedicated cult following.

Looking back, many have noted that The Wiz was less a simple retelling of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and more a powerful exploration of the Black experience in America. The film subtly addressed themes of slavery and the hidden dangers beneath a pleasant surface. It was also recognized with four Academy Award nominations.

The Chronicles of Narnia (2005-2010)

While still drawing inspiration from classic stories, The Chronicles of Narnia moves away from being a direct adaptation of The Wizard of Oz. The films are based on novels by C.S. Lewis, written between 1950 and 1956, and it’s important to note that Lewis was more inspired by ancient myths than by the works of L. Frank Baum.

Oz and Narnia share many common elements – magical creatures, talking animals, and young characters embarking on adventures. Interestingly, while L. Frank Baum’s Oz may have inspired C.S. Lewis, Lewis expanded upon these ideas considerably, creating a complete world in Narnia instead of just a single city like Oz.

Both The Wizard of Oz and The Chronicles of Narnia have had a lasting impact on storytelling. C.S. Lewis’s Narnia books, in particular, inspired popular fantasy series like The Golden Compass and Harry Potter, among others.

Spirited Away (2001)

I still think of Spirited Away as one of Hayao Miyazaki’s absolute best films. It reminds me a lot of The Wizard of Oz – it starts with a young girl moving with her family when they stumble into this incredible, magical world. She has a little disagreement with her parents, and suddenly they’ve vanished, leaving her all alone and stuck in this amazing, but strange, place.

In this film, Chihiro’s mission is to return home and, more importantly, save her parents, who have been transformed into pigs and taken to a magical world. Like The Wizard of Oz, she encounters a variety of incredible characters – both helpful and dangerous – during her adventure.

Spirited Away was a huge hit and continues to be shown in theaters by Studio Ghibli. It’s highly praised, with a 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and is considered one of the best anime films of all time.

Coraline (2009)

Like The Wizard of Oz, Coraline tells the story of a girl trying to find her way home, but it’s a much more frightening tale. Coraline is a lonely young girl who moves with her parents to a new town. She feels isolated and wishes for a more exciting life.

Coraline discovers a secret door leading to a seemingly perfect world where her parents are loving and she gets everything she wants. But this newfound happiness hides a terrible threat, and Coraline must race against time to return home before it’s too late.

Henry Selick brilliantly directed this film, which is based on a novel by Neil Gaiman. It’s a stunning stop-motion animated movie, enhanced with 3D technology, and is considered a classic of the genre. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Oz: The Great And Powerful (2013)

Oz the Great and Powerful tells the story of how the Wizard came to be in the land of Oz. The film follows Oscar Diggs, a charismatic but deceptive stage magician played by James Franco, as he arrives in Oz and encounters three powerful witches. He soon finds himself caught in a conflict between them and must work to bring peace and order to the land.

Sam Raimi’s movie is a vibrant and thrilling adventure with plenty of danger, but it’s still suitable for families. It was a huge hit in theaters, earning nearly $500 million globally – a record for Oz films until the release of Wicked years later.

The film received generally positive reviews, with critics particularly enjoying its direction and humor. Mila Kunis won an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain for her portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West.

Wild At Heart (1990)

Interestingly, David Lynch created Wild at Heart as a tribute to The Wizard of Oz. Being a lifelong fan of the classic film, Lynch filled Wild at Heart with numerous references and allusions to it, even within this dark and quirky crime comedy.

I recently watched this movie starring Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern, and it’s a wild ride! They play Sailor and Lula, a couple constantly on the run because Lula’s mom wants Sailor dead. What’s really interesting is how the director, David Lynch, subtly weaves in references to The Wizard of Oz – things like a ‘yellow brick road’ pop up, and Sailor feels like a bit of a dreamer, almost like a rebel trying to find his place, which really connects to the themes of that classic film.

Diane Ladd received an Oscar nomination for her performance in Wild at Heart, and the film is still considered a standout work by director David Lynch.

Wicked (2024)

The movie Wicked is considered the most successful film inspired by The Wizard of Oz. Both the movie and its upcoming sequel, Wicked: For Good (releasing in 2025), are based on a popular Broadway play. This version of the story reimagines the classic tale from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West, portraying the Wizard as the true villain instead.

The first film shows how Glinda and Elphaba began as friends and were both initially good people, but the Wizard’s scheming caused a rift between them. The second film continues the story with Elphaba struggling to survive and liberate Oz from the wicked Wizard, coinciding with Dorothy Gale’s arrival.

The musical Wicked has been the most financially successful film inspired by The Wizard of Oz, grossing over $759 million worldwide. It was also highly praised by critics and received 10 Academy Award nominations, including nods for Best Picture, Best Actress (Cynthia Erivo), and Best Supporting Actress (Ariana Grande).

2025-11-23 22:52