Current hot tamale James Franco (Pineapple Express, 127 Hours) is to play Oz in Oz: The Great and Powerful after Robert Downey Jnr moved on from the project.
The story tells of a bunko snake oil salesman who is transported in a balloon to Oz where he assumes the role of Oz and has to do battle against the Wicked Witch of the West.
No clues as yet as to who might play the good and wicked witches. Alot of the usual names are being kicked around. Why don't the go for slightly more out of the way talent like Mia Wasikowska Kirsten Dunst or the like.
I like Franco but i think this role would have been size perfect for Downey and am slightly sad that we won't see him in the role of a buffoon stumbling his way to greatness.