Two Beloved Hollywood Classics to Get Diversity Reboot by ‘Black-ish’ Producer

The Hollywood sign seen over Los Angeles on July 12, 2023. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Hollywood classic films “The Wizard Of Oz” and “It’s A Wonderful Life” are going to get a reboot by the creator of the ABC sitcom “Black-ish.”

Producer Kenya Barris, 50, who is also the writer behind 2023’s “You People” and 2017’s “Girls Trip,” recently revealed during the Sundance Film Festival he’s working on revamped scripts for the Warner Bros. adaptations of the two beloved movies, according to the Daily Mail.

His plans for a modern-day remake of 1939’s “The Wizard Of Oz” include the new version being set in The Bottoms of Inglewood, California, where the character of Dorothy resides in a huge apartment complex.

The original “Wizard of Oz” starred Judy Garland and took place in Kansas during the Great Depression.

He’ll also be remaking “It’s a Wonderful Life” at Paramount and will center Frank Capra’s story around a person of color.

The 1946 classic, which starred James Stewart, took place in the town of Bedford Falls. Its plot follows the character of George Bailey (Stewart) as he battles suicidal thoughts on Christmas Eve and is guided by guardian angel Clarence Obody to realize all the lives he’s touched.

Barris Sees Classics as Perfect for Conversion

“I think that’s the perfect story to tell for a person of color—Black or brown—to get into that because our communities have some issues and someone trying to help that community out,” Barris said while attending the Variety Studio at Sundance. “I think that’s the perfect vehicle to tell that story from.”

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About his remake of “The Wizard of Oz,” he noted how it originally took place during the Great Depression and how it centered around self-reliance and what people were going through at the time.

Mr. Barris added, remarking about both reboots, “It is the best time to turn a mirror on society.”

“I think this is the perfect time to switch the characters and talk about what someone imagines their life could be,” he told Variety.

Reboots Have Potential to Add Fresh Take or Flop

The mind behind these projects, Mr. Barris, has a mostly good track record to date (“Black-ish,” “Girls Trip”) with two outright clunkers (“Coming 2 America,” “You People”). “So there’s a chance he‘ll be able to build upon the goodwill those films have generated over the decades and add something fresh,” Christian Toto, host of ”The Hollywood in Toto Podcast,” told The Epoch Times. “That said, the impulse to make classic stories ’diverse‘ could mean he’ll put the cultural message above the entertainment value. That often leads to unsuccessful storytelling.”

In his report for BlazeTV, Conservative commentator Dave Rubin expressed his general view about stories that incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“What DEI leads to is an endless decline in everything,” meaning “our movies will not be as good,” said Mr. Rubin. “They’ve destroyed everything in Hollywood.”

Added Mr. Toto: “the chances he‘ll outdo two universally adored films is slim. It’s a near-impossible mission, but just trying it means he’ll score plenty of media attention and social media traction. That’s the ultimate goal in today’s Hollywood.”