Hollywood remake of ‘Wizard of Oz’ to be fresh take

LOS ANGELES: Hollywood is preparing to take another trip down the yellow brick road with a remake of classic movie The Wizard of Oz.

New Line Cinema, a unit of AT&T Inc’s Warner Bros studio, said yesterday it was developing a fresh take on the story of Dorothy and her visit to the Land of Oz that was detailed in L. Frank Baum’s children’s book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which was published in 1900.

Nicole Kassell, an executive director and producer of HBO’s Emmywinning Watchmen series, would direct the new movie, the studio said.

‘‘The opportunity to examine the original themes — the quest for courage, love, wisdom and home — feels more timely and urgent than ever,’’ Kassell said in a statement.

‘‘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.’’

The new movie will not be a musical.

The original 1939 film starring Judy Garland featured the song Over the Rainbow, which won an Academy Award for best original song. — Reuters