EXCLUSIVE: Gina Matthews has Dorothy in development at Prime Video, we’ve just learned.
The series, which Matthews created and will produce under her Little Engine label, is a contemporary, music-infused YA retelling of Wizard of Oz based on L. Frank Baum’s books using the Yellow Brick Road as a metaphor for the challenges and choices facing young adults today.
Non-writing executive producers on the project include Gwen Stefani, Lucky Horseshoe’s Blake Shelton and Lee Metzger and Little Engine’s Grant Scharbo, as well as Patrick Moran.
“I’ve been in love with The Wizard of Oz books since I was a child,” says Matthews. “The story reminds us of the qualities we need to get through hard times, and Dorothy is a symbol of strength who shows us that with a little kindness — and a lot of grit — we can not only achieve great things but also lift up those around us. I’m excited to bring that message to the world, now more than ever.”
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“I’m really excited to work with this creative team,” says Moran. “I’m such a fan of everyone involved and couldn’t ask for a more exciting partnership as we reinvent this cherished IP.”
Adds Scharbo, “We’re thrilled to embark on this journey with Amazon and believe Dorothy will enchant a whole new generation of viewers.”
“We’re really excited about all the possibilities this show brings, and I’m so grateful that Gina shared the idea with me and Lee,” said Shelton. “I knew right away it was something Gwen would connect with. Her creativity and perspective are such a natural fit for this project.”
“It’s a creative and modern take on a classic, and being part of something that blends music, emotion, and the character of Dorothy is inspiring to me,” said Stefani.
Three-time Grammy winner and multiplatinum performing artist Stefani, who has also been a long-running coach on NBC’s The Voice, is repped by WME, Blended Strategy Group and Hertz Lichtenstein Young & Polk, LLP. She was an EP on the animated series Kuu Kuu Harajuku.
Shelton is a nine-time Grammy nominee and platinum-selling country artist who has executive produced the Hallmark holiday movie franchise Time for … to Come Home for Christmas as well as USA’s Barmageddon. He has also been a long-running coach on NBC’s The Voice from its inception in 2011 through the 23red season in 2023. Shelton is repped by Starstruck Entertainment.
Matthews has produced movies like 13 Going on 30 and Isn’t It Romantic, and she created the WB series The Mountain as well as Popular.