Dakota Fanning Possibly Stars on 'The Wizard of Oz' Sequel

Mon, 24 August 2009 02:58:42 ET

© DZilla/Bauer-Griffin

"The Twilight Saga's New Moon" star Dakota Fanning possibly stars on the follow-up to 1939 movie "The Wizard of Oz". Daily Express reports the 16-year-old cutie is being considered to play the lead character on the not-yet-titled film, which production is scheduled to be started next year.

Speaking about the upcoming movie, an executive from Warner Bros. claims the sequel will be "darker and more action-packed". Additionally, Basil Iwanyk, who will produce the project, says, "It will be set in the present day and feature Dorothy's granddaughter." Then, the flick's co-producer Todd McFarlane adds, "You've still got Dorothy trapped in an odd place, but she's much closer to the Ripley character from Alien [Sigourney Weaver] than a helpless singing girl."

"The Wizard of Oz" is an adaptation of L. Frank Baum's 1900 children's novel entitled "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz". Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, and Ray Bolger previously starred on the original film.