Director Sam Raimi is off to a brilliant start with his upcoming project Oz: The Great And Powerful. Casting has been underway for some time now, and production is set to begin this July in Michigan.

Michelle Williams joins the cast as Glinda, the good witch, the role Billie Burke made famous in the 1939 film The Wizard Of Oz.

Oz: The Great and Powerful is set as a prequel to the original film which starred Judy Garland in the main role as Dorothy Gale. This story will tell the tale of the Wizard (James Franco) on his journey to the land of Oz and subsequent rise to become it’s leader.

Already cast in the picture are Franco as Oz, Mila Kunis as Theodora, and Rachel Weisz as Evanora. (The two evil witch sisters)

A release date has not yet been set for the film, but speculation places it’s release at sometime in 2013.