by Chris and Kim Learned Kane, Reporters

One does not simply walk into Hall H – Hallrat axiom!

If you’ve been there then you know: no one braves the Hall H line (especially not during the final Twilight appearance) without good reason.  But geeky curiosity and a fanboy level appreciation for Sam Raimi’s films served as impetus to brave the lines, the frequent mystery funk and nearly cheeseless nachos of Hall H to catch a sneak peek at Raimi’s upcoming film Oz:The Great and Powerful.

Oz:The Great and Powerful acts as prequel and origin story to the 1939 classic, The Wizard of Oz.  The film focuses on the eponymous wizard (James Franco) as a young magician traveling with the Baum Brothers Circus.  According to Raimi, the wizard is a “bit of a cad, a man with a good heart but no people skills.”  Oscar Diggs, as the wizard is known in his pre Oz days, is in fact run out of town as a fornicator, escapes in his hot air balloon, and is caught up in a twister and transported to Oz (sounds familiar!).

Director Raimi was not alone: he brought Mila Kunis who plays the hydrophobic Wicked Witch of the West, and Michelle Williams who assays the role of Glinda the Good.  Both paid compliment to the vision of the art department as they gushed about how magical the sets were.  Indeed, the sizzle reel (most of which can be seen in the teaser trailer available online) backs up their assertions.  The film (much like the original) begins in a black and white reminiscent of a tintype photograph, until the Wizard reaches Oz: then the world explodes with a super-saturated palette-shattering collection of hues reminiscent of Burton’s beautiful if flawed Alice in Wonderland.

Don’t miss Oz The Great and Powerful set for release March 2013!

Keep your hot air balloons on course to ComicsOnline.com for further SDCC 2012 coverage and everything geek pop culture!