NBC Picks Up Wizard of Oz Miniseries

NBC has ordered a new drama based on L. Frank Baum's book The Wizard of Oz, reports Entertainment Weekly.

The news was announced at this past weekend's Television Critics Association press tour. Titled Emerald City, the new miniseries follows a 20-something Dorothy Gale in a completely reimagined version of Oz.

NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt described the 10-episode program as "tales that include lethal warriors, competing kingdoms, and the infamous wizard as you've never seen him before."

Since its original release in 1900, The Wizard of Oz has made numerous leaps to both television and movie screens. While the most famous is MGM's 1939 version starring gay icon Judy Garland, others have gained a cult following as well, including Disney's 1985 release Return to Oz and the SyFy network's Oz reboot titled Tin Man, with cast members Alan Cumming and Zooey Deschanel.

Emerald City is one of many recent ventures back to the merry old land of Oz. Last summer saw the release of the prequel Oz: The Great and Powerful in theaters, and coming this summer is the animated musical Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return.

For LGBT fans of these beloved charcters, it's a great time to be "a friend of Dorothy."