Red Brick Road (unproduced TV series)

Lore & Background

Red Brick Road was conceived by American artist Rob Prior as a spin-off to the works based on the Land of Oz. The premise noted that in the classic 1939 film, when Dorothy set off for the Emerald City, she followed the Yellow Brick Road, but among the yellow bricks at her feet there was also a swirl of red bricks, which had been 'unnoticed' and 'unexplored.' The series would have answered where those red bricks go by following Dorothy down that path, taking her to 'the oldest, darkest and most dangerous parts of Oz' to find her missing friends.

The project was eventually cancelled due to creative differences. Rob Prior stated that he 'did not like the way that Warner Brothers was going with the project' and felt that Warner were ignoring the art and story he provided, fearing they were treating it 'as a bad Hallmark movie.'

Reader's Guide

Red Brick Road represents a notable but unrealized attempt to expand the Oz mythos into a darker, grittier television series. Its significance lies in its origin as a direct response to a visual detail in the 1939 film—the red bricks visible at Dorothy's feet—which had long been overlooked. The project's cancellation due to creative differences highlights the tensions that can arise between a creator's vision and a studio's direction. Rob Prior's public criticism of Warner Brothers, claiming they ignored his art and story and treated the project 'as a bad Hallmark movie,' underscores the subjective nature of such disputes. Though never produced, Red Brick Road remains a point of interest for fans of Oz adaptations and for those studying unproduced television projects, as it offers insight into what might have been a radically different take on a beloved fantasy world.

Did You Know?

• Red Brick Road was inspired by the red brick road visible in the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz.
• The series was described as a 'darker' and 'grittier' version of Oz.
• The project was cancelled due to creative differences between creator Rob Prior and Warner Brothers.
• Rob Prior stated that Warner Brothers was treating the project 'as a bad Hallmark movie.'