Legendary director Sam Raimi (Spiderman, The Evil Dead) takes the reigns of Disney‘s return to the kingdom of Oz in Oz: The Great and Powerful. So has the wait been worth it? Here’s the fantastical first trailer.

In Oz: The Great and the Powerful, James Franco (Spiderman, Rise of the Planet of the Apes) plays a slightly dubious Kansas magician called Oscar who, after a chance encounter with a tornado (something many Kansans can relate to), is whisked off to the wonderous realm of Oz. Upon his arrival, Oscar has close encounters with three rather pretty witches: Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams). He must figure out who to trust in order to save Oz and become the great and powerful Wizard we all know and love – that’s some job interview!

It looks like we’re getting a slightly darker incarnation of Oz. It’s quite Tim Burton-esque in many ways. The opening segment, in all its classically-styled 4:3 black & white glory, is delightfully foreboding; while Oz itself looks vibrant, artistic and dream-like.

A couple of the green-screen shots look a bit dodgy, but I’m sure those effects will be polished before the final film arrives – and it’s less grating if you watch the trailer in full 1080p.

All-in-all, a pretty good trailer. Being the first one, we don’t get much of the story or a proper feel for the characters – that’ll have to wait till next time.

Thoughts on the trailer?

Walt Disney Pictures’ fantastical adventure Oz The Great and Powerful, directed by Sam Raimi, imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved character, the Wizard of Oz. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot—fame and fortune are his for the taking—that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity—and even a bit of wizardry—Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.

Directed by Sam Raimi, the film stars James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Abigail Spencer, Joey King, Zach Braff, Martin Klebba, Ted Raimi, Bill Cobbs, Tony Cox, Tim Holmes and Toni Wynne.

Oz: The Great and Powerful sweeps us away on March 7, 2013.