Disney's Return to Oz has become an infamous production, but the story behind it is even wilder!

As noted, Disney had long held the rights to the Oz books but didn't do anything with them. As the property moved into the public domain, there were a few attempts at a sequel. That included 1979's Journey Back to Oz animated movie, which did have the clever casting of Judy Garland's daughter, Liza Minnelli, as Dorothy. But it suffered from a bad production to be a flop.

The property maintained its popularity as the TV airing of the 1939 movie became an annual mainstay that always garnered high ratings. By 1980, with Disney Productions in a serious downturn after some expensive flops, someone decided giving the Oz books another try was worth it.

And so the road to Return to Oz began but no one dreamed of the nightmare it would become.

Why...