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Suggestions roll in for woke filmmaker who’s remaking American classics: ‘Come up with your own story!’

January 23, 2024 | | Print Article

In another example of the left’s lack of creativity, plans are underway to retell two more American classic films from a “different point of view.”

Never mind that no one is actually asking for these reboots with woke storylines that check off all the diversity boxes.

But director and writer Kenya Barris told Variety that is just what he intends to do as he gives a “diverse” new look at the “Wizard Of Oz” and the Christmas classic “It’s A Wonderful Life.”

“The original ‘Wizard of Oz’ took place during the Great Depression and it was about self-reliance and what people were going through,” Barris told  Variety during an interview at the Sundance Film Festival.

“I think this is the perfect time to switch the characters and talk about what someone imagines their life could be,” he said of the changes slated for the 1939 classic that starred Judy Garland. “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,” the “Black-ish” creator continued. “But I want the world to take a look at it and I hope that will come through.”

He talked about using “diverse characters” on “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon,” last year as well.

“I think that this is the best time to turn a mirror on society because we need to see ourselves, and I want to do it with diverse characters,” Barris said at the time.

One of the changes he intended was to have Dorothy be a girl who “lives in Inglewood, and someone comes up and she ends up in Underhood, which is right outside of Oz, and it takes place from there.”

“I wanted to make people think, but also make them feel good, and also make people feel seen who hadn’t felt seen,” he told Fallon.

And Barris wants to retell the 1946 Frank Capra Christmas classic in a new way as well, with the story focused on a “person of color” instead of the role immortalized by Jimmy Stewart.

“I feel like Christmas movies are amazing and I think the idea of taking something that has that long of a history and a tale behind it and putting an amazing piece of talent to tell that story,” Barris told Variety.

“It’s a guy who’s trying to help out his community and things are going to turn around on him,” he said.

“I think that’s the perfect story to tell for a person of color — Black or brown — to get into that because our communities have some issues and someone trying to help that community out. I think that’s the perfect vehicle to tell that story from,” he added.

Online, social media users gave a collective eye-roll at the latest effort to remake the classics.

Frieda Powers
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