When
Kenya
Barris
announced
a
reimagining
of
The
Wizard
of
Oz
with
Dorothy
in
Inglewood,
social
media
slammed
the
unwanted
Wiz-ish
update.
Source:
Variety
/
Getty
Whether
viewers
like
it
or
not,
the You
People
writer
and
director
stays
booked
and
busy.
The
prolific
filmmaker
discussed
a
long
slate
of
upcoming
projects
at
the
Sundance
Film
Festival
with
the
Variety
Studio
presented
by
Audible.
The
news
of
Barris’
plans
to
remake
The
Wizard
of
Oz
seemingly
broke
the
internet
with
criticisms
and
clapbacks.
“The
Wizard
of
Oz”
remake
from
Kenya
Barris
centers
on
a
version
of
Dorothy
who
lives
in
Inglewood,
Calif.
“The
original
took
place
during
the
Great
Depression
and
it
was
about
self-reliance…I
think
this
is
the
perfect
time
to
switch
the
characters.”
https://t.co/BXwGGsROSV
pic.twitter.com/DAsb3gMf5O
—
Variety
(@Variety)
January
20,
2024
In
Barris’ Black
AF spin
on
the
classic
film,
Dorothy
is
from
Inglewood
like
Barris.
She
“lives
in
the
Bottoms,”
a
large
apartment
complex
also
featured
on
Snowfall.
“The
original
‘Wizard
of
Oz’
took
place
during
the
Great
Depression
and
it
was
about
self-reliance
and
what
people
were
going
through.
I
think
this
is
the
perfect
time
to
switch
the
characters
and
talk
about
what
someone
imagines
their
life
could
be,”
Barris
said.
“It’s
ultimately
a
hero’s
journey,
someone
thinks
something’s
better
than
where
they’re
at,
and
they
go
and
realize
that
where
they’re
at
is
where
they
should
be.
I
want
people
to
be
proud
and
happy
about
where
they’re
from.
But
I
want
the
world
to
take
a
look
at
it
and
I
hope
that
will
come
through.”
Kenya
Barris
confirms
the
script
for
his
reimagining
of
“The
Wizard
of
Oz”
is
done.
His
version
of
Dorothy
is
a
girl
who
lives
in
the
Bottoms,
which
is
a
huge
apartment
complex
located
in
Inglewood,
Calif.
https://t.co/KpcjZau0PZ
pic.twitter.com/SxAJCkffYb
—
Variety
(@Variety)
January
20,
2024
Barris
followed
up
by
proactively
addressing
the
decision
to
continue
mining
existing
classics
with
“a
different
point
of
view.”
“I’m
still
a
believer
in
IP.
I
think
I
get
s**t
for
it
sometimes,
but
I
believe
that
the
idea
of
some
of
those
great
stories
–
stories
are
all
told
again
and
again
and
again.
So
having
the
opportunity
to
take
some
of
those
IPs
and
tell
them
from
a
different
point
of
a
view
is
a
gift
that
I
hopefully
keep
getting,”
he
said.
So,
Wiz
wasn’t
enough?
Hollywood
spends
too
much
time
reimaging
and
not
time
imaging.
It’s
like
still
eating
turkey
two
weeks
after
Thanksgiving.
—
Mack
O’Quinn
(@MOQuinn62)
January
20,
2024
Maybe
it’s
because
of
remake
and
reboot
fatigue,
or
perhaps
the
fact
that
The
Wiz is
already
a
beloved
classic,
but
the
comments
were
not
on
Kenya’s
side.
Although
several
days
of
conversation
after
Rap
Sh!t‘s
cancelation
led
to
demands
for
more
Black
stories
by
Black
creatives,
this
isn’t
what
critical
comments
seemed
to
have
in
mind.
I
bet
Kenya
Barris
name
is
really
Kenya
Harris
he
just
changed
it
to
B
for
Biracial.
—
Grip
Bayless
(@talleyberrybaby)
January
20,
2024
Everyone
losing
work
and
Kenya
Barris
is
still
here.
Make
it
make
sense
@God
https://t.co/TlzUyxWVt7
—
Stressed
and
highly
favored.
(@jessinhtx)
January
20,
2024
Check
out
the
social
media
reactions
to
Kenya
Barris
taking
on
iconic
stories
like
Richard
Pryor’s
life
story and
taking
Dorothy
down
the Black-ish brick
road
after
the
flip!
Social
Media
Reacts
To
Kenya
Barris’
Upcoming
Richard
Pryor
Series
And
Remake
Of
The
Wizard
of
Oz
Source:
Variety
/
Getty
To
the
surprise
of
many
users
on
X
(formerly
Twitter),
The
Wizard
of
Oz isn’t
the
only
iconic
story
Kenya
Barris
is
taking
on.
The
TV
titan
will
also
direct
a
biographical
series
about
comedy
king
Richard
Pryor.
“It’s
a
10-part
limited
biographical
series
that
takes
a
look
from
cradle
to
grave.
From
his
earliest
upbringing
—
he
grew
up
in
a
ho
house,
or
a
house
of
ill
repute
—
and
became,
at
one
point,
the
biggest
star
in
the
world,”
he
said.
Barris
is
proud
to
do
the
legend
justice
in
the
project
he
is
currently
developing.
“It
is
my
baby.
I
love
it.
He
is
my
comedy
god.
A
super
flawed
guy,
but
who
everything,
to
this
day,
the
comedy
that
we
remember
—
even
including
[Dave]
Chappelle
—
is
derivative
of
what
he
started,”
he
said.
“That
honest,
reflecting,
observational
look
at
what
the
world
is
and
the
differences
between
us
that
actually
make
us
more
similar
than
we
are
apart.
I
think
telling
his
story
and
letting
people
see
things
that
they
didn’t
know
about
him
is
something
that
I’m
super
excited
to
bring
to
life.”
Lost
in
all
the
outrage
at
Kenya
Barris
setting
Dorothy
in
Inglewood
is
that
he
has
also
been
given
the
reigns
to
Richard
Pryor’s
biopic.This
man
needs
to
be
stopped.
https://t.co/eDhffDl3Vj
—
Naysayer
In
Paris
(@hartofamerica76)
January
20,
2024
One
thing’s
for
sure:
these
new
projects
will
have
everyone
talking.
Many
have
a
soft
spot
in
their
hearts
for
Kenya
Barris’s
TV
shows
like
Black-ish and Grown-ish,
which
parallel
parts
of
his
life.
Maybe
a
Wizard
of
Oz based
on
his
background
will
be
another
homegrown
hit.
The
announcement
set
X
ablaze
with
questions
of
“Who
asked
for
this?”
and
demands
to
“Stop
him!”
The
viral
conversation
even
sparked
speculation
about
a
“biracial
cinematic
universe.”
Check
out
some
of
the
reactions
to
Kenya
Barris’
Wizard
of
Oz,
which
were Mixed-ish
at
best.
Dorothy
and
Toto
in
Kenya’s
eyes
https://t.co/yB0UE1ZkIB
pic.twitter.com/uCsBxlUFLT
—
Naysayer
In
Paris
(@hartofamerica76)
January
20,
2024
NOBODY:
LIKE
NOBODY:
LIKE
ABSOLUTELY
NOBODY:
LIKE
ABSOLUTELY
NOFUCKINGBODY
ON
EARTH:
KENYA
BARRIS:
https://t.co/To2yePvueZ
pic.twitter.com/VGkax4X38d
—
Fiqah
is
@sassycrass.bsky.social
(@sassycrass)
January
20,
2024
“The
Wizard
of
Oz”
remake
from
Kenya
Barris
centers
on
a
version
of
Dorothy
who
lives
in
Inglewood,
Calif.
Black
Film
Twitter:
pic.twitter.com/nyBlIpVIkH
—
Rendy
(@rendy_jones)
January
20,
2024
I
never
understood
the
Kenya
Barris
hate.
Blackish
and
Black
AF
are
hilarious.
—
Micky
Free
Is
Not
A
Girl
(@WeavusChrist)
January
20,
2024
Defund
Kenya
Barris.
Representation
doesn’t
matter
that
much.
—
K.
Riley
🍉🇵🇸
she/they.
(@KRileyTips)
January
20,
2024
I
need
somebody
to
put
the
fear
of
God
into
Kenya
Barris
because
he
is
the
last
person
on
earth,
that
I
want
to
see
an
imagination
of
the
Wizard
of
Oz
from
—
⚜️Sovereign⚜️
(@sauvamemte)
January
20,
2024
Nobody
asked
for
the
Wiz-ish!Kenya
Barris
is
not
the
only
Black
creator
in
Hollywood.
Please
give
someone
who
represents
other
types
of
Blackness
a
chance.
https://t.co/i3xarEGYyv
—
Low
Vibrational
Eating
#BreadBae
(@EatWithNia)
January
20,
2024
DO
NOT
LET
KENYA
BARRIS
TOUCH
THIS:
WE
DO
NOT
NEED
A
WHITE
WOMAN
NAMED
DORETHA
GETTING
HER
CHEEKS
CLAPPED
FOR
120MINS
BY
THE
LOCAL
WEEDMAN/MAILMAN/ANIMAL
CONTROLMAN;
WITH
INGLEWOOD
AS
THE
BACKDROP.
Please
go
to
therapy
[like
the
rest
of
us],
Kenya.
https://t.co/uN4bVaGKfl
—
Dooley__Noted
(@_DooleyNoted_)
January
20,
2024
y’all
can
never
make
me
hate
Kenya
Barris!!!!
https://t.co/BuMPfMoSmS
—
THIQUE
CHURCH
GIRL
(@mayabethany)
January
20,
2024
From
the
creator
of
the
hit
series
“black-ish”
and
“grown-ish”…
Kenya
Barris
presents….
https://t.co/X8MDI29MNC
pic.twitter.com/XV9hBlX79N
—
Charles
T
(@ChuckyT3)
January
20,
2024
Kenya
Barris
To
Remake
The
Emancipation
Proclamation
—
Otto
Fernandez
(@OttoFernandez)
January
20,
2024
Dorothy
about
to
be
a
tragic
biracial.
Kenya
Barris
loves
him
a
tragic
biracial
https://t.co/0GYWD9RKK8
—
Semi-ReTired
(@AltThesis)
January
20,
2024
I
swear
to
God
Kenya,
if
there’s
a
SINGLE
interracial
couple
in
this
I’m
reporting
your
company
to
the
Better
Business
Bureau
and
filing
a
class
action
lawsuit.
https://t.co/EcemTnIleJ
—
Taylor
Gray
(@offtaylorgray)
January
20,
2024
Why
Netflix
continues
to
release
Kenya
Barris’
projects
baffles
me.
They
need
to
tell
that
nigga
to
go
to
therapy
and
come
back
once
he’s
grappled
with
his
background
and
whatever
issues
he
has…
also
it
seems
intentional
that
this
is
a
“Wizard
of
Oz”
remake
and
not
“The
Wiz”
https://t.co/xHEKUPA8w2
—
cbr™️
(@cbenjaminrucker)
January
20,
2024
they’re
getting
rid
of
all
the
black
shows
on
hbo
so
they
can
give
kenya
barris
his
biracial
cinematic
universe
—
dark-paul
gosselaar
(@suprchnk)
January
20,
2024
I’m
just
now
realizing
Kenya
Barris
is
from
around
the
way.
I
don’t
know
where
I
thought
homie
was
from.
But
only
an
LA
nigga
gonna
write
about
the
Bottoms.
Now
I’m
feeling
guilty
by
association.
https://t.co/eioy40O6FF
—
Ike
Moses
(@IkeMoses)
January
20,
2024
I
like
Kenya
Barris
but
nobody
asked
for
this.
There
are
hundreds
of
amazing
fantasy
books
just
waiting
to
become
screenplays.
Tackle
one
of
them
instead
of
rehashing
The
Wizard
of
Oz.
https://t.co/ZSW5ZraxKA
—
Serious
Black
🗳
(@NicsuPR)
January
20,
2024
Can
someone
please
explain
to
Kenya
Barris
we
already
have
a
black
version
of
The
Wizard
of
Oz?
pic.twitter.com/EyblX5JIlt
—
goodmonica
(@m0brya)
January
20,
2024
Kenya
Barris
walks
in
the
studio
offices,
yells
BIRACIALS
like
he
Mr.
Crocker
&
they
cut
him
a
check
&
give
him
a
production
schedule.
pic.twitter.com/0bfJoKzTUY
—
everybody’s
boifren.
(@screwyoumegn)
January
20,
2024
We
of
the
black
delegation
have
decided
that
Kenya
Barris
must
be
stopped
by
any
means
necessary.
https://t.co/M7ItlTLSFi
—
Miguel
(@thatdaffyduck)
January
20,
2024
and
when
cancel
culture
comes
for
kenya
barris
i
will
say
nothing
https://t.co/zpJ2yL3Vwm
—
adrie
rose
🇯🇲
(@adrierising)
January
20,
2024
We
are
over
here
clamoring
for
new
voices
&
movies
from
our
perspective
&
this
man
wants
to
remake
two
MAJOR
classics.I’d
hate
“The
Wiz”
to
be
remade
by
him
either
but
that
movie
makes
more
sense
than
the
original.
This
is
WEIRD.
https://t.co/cNP9jSaHiW
—
Sea
Way
(@cpettway79)
January
20,
2024
What
do
you
think
of
Kenya
Barris
reimagining The
Wizard
of
Oz?
