By Jake Coyle, Film Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --Are we off to see the wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz — again?
New Line Cinema is making a new adaptation of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," L. Frank Baum children's novel, with Nicole Kassell, the visual architect of "Watchmen," set to direct. Baum's 1900 novel, now in the public domain, has spawned many adaptations over the years — most famously, of course, the 1939 MGM musical by Victor Fleming and starring Judy Garland.
Kassell's version will not be a musical. New Line said it will be a "fresh take" and a "reimagining" of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." It will have some advantages, too, since Warner Bros. owns New Line and the 1939 film. That means it can use some trademarked elements like the ruby slippers.
"While the 1939 musical is part of my DNA, I am exhilarated and humbled by the responsibility of re-imagining such a legendary tale," said Kassell in a statement. "The opportunity to examine the original themes — the quest for courage, love, wisdom and home — feels more timely and urgent than ever. 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!"
Kassell is an executive producer of HBO's "Watchmen" and directed three of its nine episodes, including the pilot. She has worked primarily in television but directed the feature films "The Woodsman" and "A Little Bit of Heaven."
The most recent "Wizard of Oz" film came from the Walt Disney Co.'s "Oz the Great and Powerful" in 2013. Directed by Sam Raimi and starring James Franco, it was set 20 years before the events of the 1939 classic.
California governor signs law to protect children from social media addiction
California will make it illegal for social media platforms to knowingly provide addictive feeds to children without parental consent beginning in 2027 under a new law Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Friday.
California follows New York state, which passed a law earlier this year allowing parents to block their kids from getting social media posts suggested by a platform's algorithm. Utah has passed laws in recent years aimed at limiting children's access to social media, but they have faced challenges in court.
The California law will take effect in a state home to some of the largest technology companies in the world. Similar proposals have failed to pass in recent years, but Newsom signed a first-in-the-nation law in 2022 barring online platforms from using users' personal information in ways that could harm children. It is part of a growing push in states across the country to try to address the impacts of social media on the well-being of children.
"Every parent knows the harm social media addiction can inflict on their children — isolation from human contact, stress and anxiety, and endless hours wasted late into the night," Newsom said in a statement. "With this bill, California is helping protect children and teenagers from purposely designed features that feed these destructive habits."
The law bans platforms from sending notifications without permission from parents to minors between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m., and between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays from September through May, when children are typically in school. The legislation also makes platforms set children's accounts to private by default.
Opponents of the legislation say it could inadvertently prevent adults from accessing content if they cannot verify their... Read More