Munchkins beware: Everyone’s favorite Deadite-masher is heading to Oz.
Evil Dead and Burn Notice star Bruce Campbell will indeed have a role in Sam Raimi’s upcoming Wizard of Oz prequel film, Oz, The Great and Powerful.
The fan-favorite actor (and author) confirmed the longstanding rumor via his Twitter feed yesterday, but said he couldn’t reveal any more details at this point.
“I. Am. In. Oz. Sam Raimi refuses to tell me what character I will portray. Just know that the role is PIVOTAL,” he tweeted.
Campbell also attached a photo of himself with Raimi (posted here) from their Evil Dead days, reminding everyone how far back the pair go in their respective careers.
A Walt Disney project, Oz, The Great and Powerful is intended to be a prequel to the original L. Frank Baum story that inspired the classic 1939 film starring Judy Garland. In that film, Frank Morgan played the great “wizard” of the land of Oz, who was accidentally transported there via balloon years before Dorothy’s arrival.
In Raimi’s prequel, James Franco will play a younger version of the wizard, and will be joined in the cast by Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, and Zach Braff.
Campbell has a long history of appearing in Raimi’s films, having played a role in each of the director’s three Spider-Man movies, as well as the final scene in Raimi’s edgy superhero film Darkman, among other cameos.