Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani are working on a Wizard of Oz TV show.
Dorothy will be a “music-infused YA retelling” of L. Frank Baum’s classic tale.
The series, created by Gina Matthews, will be set in present-day Manhattan.
Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani are making more than just music together — they are making a new TV series based on The Wizard of Oz.
The pair has signed on as executive producers for a modern retelling of L. Frank Baum’s beloved tale. Gina Matthews (The Mountain, Popular) created and will produce the series, currently titled Dorothy, under her Little Engine label. The series will explore a contemporary, music-infused YA retelling of the iconic books, Entertainment Weekly has learned.
Set in present-day Manhattan, Dorothy will use the Yellow Brick Road as a metaphor for the challenges and choices facing young adults today.
Jason Kempin/Getty; Brad Barket/Getty
Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani; Gina Matthews
“We’re really excited about all the possibilities this show brings, and I’m so grateful that Gina shared the idea with me and Lee,” Shelton said in a statement. “I knew right away it was something Gwen would connect with. Her creativity and perspective are such a natural fit for this project.”
Stefani added, “It’s a creative and modern take on a classic, and being part of something that blends music, emotion, and the character of Dorothy is inspiring to me.”
Matthew, who has also produced movies like 13 Going on 30 and Isn’t It Romantic, shared that she’s been “in love” with the Wizard of Oz books since she was a child.
“The story reminds us of the qualities we need to get through hard times, and Dorothy is a symbol of strength who shows us that with a little kindness — and a lot of grit — we can not only achieve great things but also lift-up those around us. I’m excited to bring that message to the world, now more than ever,” she added.
Stefani and Shelton are joined as non-writing executive producers by Lee Metzger, Patrick Moran, and Little Engine’s Grant Scharbo.
“I’m really excited to work with this creative team,” Moran gushed. “I’m such a fan of everyone involved and couldn’t ask for a more exciting partnership as we reinvent this cherished IP.”
Scharbo continued, “We’re thrilled to embark on this journey with Amazon and believe Dorothy will enchant a whole new generation of viewers.”
Courtesy Everett
Judy Garland as Dorothy in ‘The Wizard of Oz’
Dorothy currently has no premiere date, but for fans looking for a taste of the wonderful land of Oz, Wicked: For Good, the sequel to 2024’s enchanting, Oscar-nominated Wicked, is set to soar into theaters on Nov. 21, nearly one year after the first film cast its spell on audiences.
Based on the beloved 2003 Broadway musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman (itself inspired by Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel), Wicked serves as an origin story for The Wizard of Oz‘s Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.
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For his film adaptation, director Jon M. Chu split the story into two parts, allowing the stories of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) to develop further.
Chu previously confirmed to Vanity Fair that Wicked: For Good marks the arrival of Dorothy Gale, the pigtailed heroine played by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz (1939). While she’s only seen as a shadow in the stage play, the upcoming film will give her a more prominent role.
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