By:  Katey Rich

Oz the Great and Powerful is a certified hit, having made $80 million in the United States this weekend plus another $70 million across the world. Of course, Disney knew they had a hit on their hands before the movie even opened, setting up plans for a sequel, with writer Mitchell Kapner returning for the duties. But will Kapner be handing his script in to Sam Raimi again?

Probably not– and that’s coming directly from Raimi. Talking to Bleeding Cool while promoting Oz in London, Raimi admitted that he hasn’t made plans to direct the sequel, and deliberately tried to set up the ending for another director to take over. Here’s the rundown of what he had to say:

I did leave some loose ends for another director if they want to make the picture. I tried to make it a complete ending, so that the audience would be fulfilled, but I also let Evanora and Theodora get away.

I was attracted to this story but I don’t think the second one would have the thing I would need to get me interested.

He doesn’t specify the thing that had him interested in tackling Oz, but I imagine it boils down to the chance to explore a new world vs. revisiting one he’s already dug into. And given Oz‘s massive success, Raimi shouldn’t have too much trouble convincing a studio to back whatever his next project is– especially if it’s the much-discussed Evil Dead 4, which Raimi says fan pressure has convinced him to make.

Unlike Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, a similar kind of hit for Disney, Oz the Great and Powerful leaves itself plenty of room for a sequel, and if they don’t have to spend time working with Raimi to clear up his schedule, Disney can move forward with another Oz movie fairly quickly. Having seen Raimi’s version, is there another director you want to see playing around in this world? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: Cinema Blend