This $493M Movie Caused Sam Raimi to Leave Hollywood for a Decade: "That Was Stale"

Sam Raimi means different things to different generations. For some, he's the brilliant creator of the cult classic Evil Dead saga. For others, he's the director of the first three Spider-Man movies starring Tobey Maguire.

However, there's one work in his filmography that few fans remember fondly: the 2013 fantasy adventure Oz The Great and Powerful.

This project forced the director to take a break from filmmaking and rethink his creative path.

'Oz The Great and Powerful' Made Sam Raimi Step Away from Directing for Nearly a Decade

With a budget of $215 million, the prequel to the classic The Wizard of Oz, was one of the most expensive in cinematic history.

Despite its solid box office performance, it received a lukewarm critical reception and disappointed Raimi fans.

Following this failure, Raimi deliberately retreated from major directing projects for nearly a decade. As Raimi explained in an interview, he needed time to rethink his approach:

“I had to refresh myself, I didn't want to repeat myself. I didn't want to do something that was stale. I felt like I had to experience the world again, [including] filmmaking, from these young filmmakers that I was producing. I allowed myself to be inspired by them.”

What Is 'Oz The Great and Powerful' About?

The plot revolves around Oscar Diggs, a circus magician and con artist, who is blown from Kansas to the magical land of Oz by a hurricane. He sees this as an opportunity to get rich by posing as a great wizard.

However, he encounters three powerful sorceresses – Theodora, Evanora, and Glinda – who doubt his authenticity.

Oscar finds himself caught up in an epic confrontation and must use all of his illusions mixed with real magic to survive.

'Oz The Great and Powerful' Isn't a Masterpiece, but It Isn't So Bad Either

Despite the fair criticism, it would be unfair to label the movie an unmitigated failure. Raimi distanced himself from the classic 1939 Hollywood film's visual aesthetic, reimagining iconic images like the Yellow Brick Road and the Emerald City.

He opted for location shooting to create a more organic and vibrant world. Furthermore, the movie attempts to add depth to established characters.

The witches of the West and East, as well as Glinda, are not portrayed as straightforward villains and heroines, but rather as more complex figures.

The problem with Oz isn't a lack of ambition, but poor execution. While the film has some charm, it lacks the signature Raimi flair that distinguishes his best work.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Oz The Great and Powerful'?

• Oz The Great and Powerful has 56% from both critics and viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 6.3/10.

• On Letterboxd, Oz The Great and Powerful scored 2.6/5.0.

Where to Watch 'Oz The Great and Powerful'?

Oz The Great and Powerful is available to stream on Disney+.