When I reported on the first poster for Sam Raimi’s Oz: The Great and Powerful, I admitted that I was skeptical about how Oz would hold up to the classic images from the 1939 film. After seeing the trailer, however, my excitement has increased immensely.

I think the thing that really struck me was that they’ve done the beginning in black and white and done Oz in color, just like in The Wizard of Oz. It’s a small thing, I know, but it’s nods like this that will get fans on board right away. I have to say, though, Oz has a distinctly Wonderland feel to it, probably due to the fact that it has the same producers.

The cast will include James Franco as the young wizard from Kansas and Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz as the witches Theodora, Glinda and Evanora respectively. The movie will be released March 8 in the US and the UK.

While I was searching around for more info on the film, I found this interview with James Franco and Mila Kunis from back in April. They both describe the characters they play, and James hints that this film could start a franchise.

What do you think of the new trailer? And the possibility of more trips back to Oz?

Leave your opinions in the comments!