The Wiz

The Wiz (1978)

Timing: 2:14 (134 min)

6/10
242

5.863/10
1029

5.7/10
19000

All about film

Video 2

Photo 12

Actors and characters

Release date

1978-10-24

Country

United States

Production

Universal Pictures, Motown Productions

Genre

Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Music

Budget

$24 000 000

Revenue

$21 049 053

Website

Director

Sidney Lumet

Actors

Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Theresa Merritt, Lena Horne, Richard Pryor, Mabel King, Thelma Carpenter, Stanley Greene
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Producer

Rob Cohen, Kenneth Harper, Berry Gordy

Operator

Oswald Morris

Composer

Charlie Smalls

Artist

John Jay Moore

Audition

Editing

Dede Allen
All team (56)

• The original title translates to "The Wizard".
• John Badham was initially chosen as the film's director, but he left the project when 33-year-old Diana Ross was cast as the teenage Dorothy. The role of Dorothy was subsequently rewritten and changed to a 24-year-old kindergarten teacher, but by that point, Sidney Lumet (1924-2011) had already replaced Ross.
• Filming of the Emerald City on the plaza at the World Trade Center had to be completed quickly due to strong winds and time constraints.
• Sidney Lumet was chosen as the director primarily due to his ability to finish his films on time and within budget. This film was the most expensive film produced in New York at that time.
• Diana Ross nearly went blind and ended up in the hospital due to a lightning flash shown in the film.
• The film crew was able to obtain hundreds of costumes featured in the scenes in the Emerald City thanks to screenwriter Joel Schumacher's (1939-2020) connections in the fashion industry.
• The original title translates to “The Magician.”