Blake Shelton and his wife, Gwen Stefani, will be working together once again, but it won’t be for a duet or a singing competition show. This time, they are serving as producers on a brand-new series for Prime Video titled Dorothy.
Deadline announced today that the upcoming series will take the beloved, timeless story of L. Frank Baum’s Wizard of Oz and retell it through a contemporary, music-infused YA lense.
The original 1939 story follows Dorothy, a young woman who finds herself swept away from her Kansas home by a tornado and transported to the magical land of Oz. Upon awakening in the colorful Munchkinland, she is welcomed by the locals and Glinda, the Good Witch, who urges her to “follow the yellow brick road” to Emerald City to meet the Wizard. Along the journey, Dorothy befriends characters like the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion, each seeking to fulfill their own wishes while helping her find a way home.
Over the years there have been countless different adaptations of The Wizard of Oz, but Prime Video’s upcoming series will do something entirely new by bringing the story into the modern world. Deadline reports that showrunners aim to explore the challenges contemporary children and young adults face, using the Yellow Brick Road as a metaphor for the many choices and obstacles they encounter today.
Dororthy was created by Gina Matthews who is best known for her work on 13 Going on 30 and Isn’t It Romantic. The series is being produced under her Little Engine label while non-writing executive producers on the project include Gwen Stefani, Lucky Horseshoe’s Blake Shelton alongside Lee Metzger, Little Engine’s Grant Scharbo and 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.”
“I’m really excited to work with this creative team,” adds Moran. “I’m such a fan of everyone involved and couldn’t ask for a more exciting partnership as we reinvent this cherished IP.”
Shelton, along with being a nine-time Grammy nominee and platinum-selling country artist, has executive produced USA’s Barmageddon, the upcoming CBS singing competition series, The Road, as well as the Hallmark Channel Time for… to Come Home for Christmas movie series, inspired by his 2012 Christmas song of the same name.
“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.”
Stefani expressed the same level of excitement, noting that this is an opportunity to step outside the bounds of her creativity and have a hand in something close to her heart.
“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.
The three-time Grammy winner and multiplatinum performing artist Stefani has lent her acting skills to the character Jean Harlow in the film The Aviator and offered up her voice to the character DJ Suki in the animated film Trolls. She also previously served as an executive producer on the animated series Kuu Kuu Harajuku.
Both Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani have served as coaches on NBC’s The Voice and have recorded several duets together, but this new series is a whole new creative adventure for them to pursue together.
A release date for Dorothy hasn’t been shared with the public.
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