First Look: James Franco As Oz

The James Franco Forever fan site has posted an Italian ad for Sam Raimi's The Wizard of Oz prequel Oz: The Great and Powerful....

The Ad features the Wizard of Oz -- with a top hat, an anguished expression and hot air balloon in the background.

The story has The Wizard (James Franco) as a “snake-oil salesman” who enters the Technicolor world of Oz after escaping the vengeful husband of his latest sexual conquest. Once in Oz, he lies to the natives, claiming to be a wizard. This deceitful Casanova soon falls for Glinda the Good Witch (Michelle Williams), and spurns Theodora (Mila Kunis) prompting her to becomes a bad witch and team up with the downright evil Evanora (Rachel Weisz) to destroy Oz.

Zach Braff will play the role of Frank, the loyal but under-appreciated assistant to Oz. Abigail Spencer will play a young woman who is a willing subject of Oz’s magic tricks while Joey King will play China Girl in the pic.

Oz is written by Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire, and will be produced by Joe Roth.

Disney is planning a release date set for March 8th, 2013.