The Wiz
“The wiz! The stars! The music! Wow!”
Synopsis
Dorothy Gale, a shy kindergarten teacher, is swept away to the magic land of Oz where she embarks on a quest to return home.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Diana Ross Sings "Home"Official
Type: Clip • Published 2025-03-04
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Diana Ross
Dorothy
Michael Jackson
Scarecrow
Nipsey Russell
Tinman
Ted Ross
Lion
Mabel King
Evillene
Theresa Merritt
Aunt Em
Thelma Carpenter
Miss One
Lena Horne
Glinda the Good
Richard Pryor
The Wiz
Stanley Greene
Uncle Henry
Clyde J. Barrett
Subway Peddler
Derrick Bell
Crow
Roderick-Spencer Sibert
Crow
Kashka Banjoko
Crow
Ronald "Smokey" Stevens
Crow
Toney Brealond
Gold Footman
Joe Lynn
Gold Footman
Clinton Jackson
Green Footman
Release History & Theatrical Window
May 18, 2025
Wide Cinema Exhibition
November 30, 2010
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$24M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$21M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.88x
-$3M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Sidney Lumet
- Screenplay & Story
- Joel Schumacher
- Original Score
- Charlie Smalls
- Original Title
- The Wiz
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 14m
- Production Budget
- $24M
- Worldwide Gross
- $21M
- Production Studios
- Motown Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Sidney Lumet
Joel Schumacher, L. Frank Baum, Charlie Smalls, William F. Brown
Charlie Smalls
Oswald Morris, Jack Priestley
Dede Allen
Berry Gordy, Rob Cohen, Kenneth Harper
Department Leadership Roster
Sidney Lumet
Director
Charlie Smalls
Original Music Composer
Rob Cohen
Producer
Joel Schumacher
Screenplay
Dede Allen
Editor
Oswald Morris
Director of Photography
Tony Walton
Costume Design
Everett Creach
Stunt Coordinator
Tony Walton
Production Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
G: General Audiences — All ages admitted. Nothing offensive for children.
International Certification Matrix
General — Suitable for all audiences.
FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.
General Audiences — All ages admitted. Nothing offensive for children.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Wiz.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Wiz.
Movie Collection
Music/Concerts (tmdb)
On This Day Movies
My Movies
Master List In Progress
Chronos movies
Now Showing at Cain Cinema
Cain Cinema features a 4K UHD picture on a 120" (16:9) screen, and a 7.2.4 Dolby Atmos audio experience.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Wiz
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Wiz about?
Dorothy Gale, a shy kindergarten teacher, is swept away to the magic land of Oz where she embarks on a quest to return home.
Who directed The Wiz?
The Wiz was directed by Sidney Lumet.
Who stars in The Wiz?
The principal cast of The Wiz includes Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Mabel King.
When was The Wiz released and how long is it?
The Wiz was released in 1978 with a total runtime of 2h 14m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Wiz?
The Wiz had a reported production budget of $24M and grossed $21M at the worldwide box office (0.88 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for The Wiz?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Wiz was composed by Charlie Smalls.
Is The Wiz based on a book or true story?
The Wiz is adapted from the following source material: Characters: "L. Frank Baum".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Wiz?
The Wiz holds official age classifications: AU: G (General — Suitable for all audiences.); DE: 6 (FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.); FR: TP; US: G (General Audiences — All ages admitted. Nothing offensive for children.).