5 Wizard Of Oz Films Ranked By Impact
Few stories have been reimagined as often, or as widely, as The Wizard of Oz.
Every new film tied to that world has to balance familiarity with invention, since audiences already know the yellow brick road, the characters, and the emotional pull of “home.”
Some versions leave their mark through sheer cultural reach. Others matter because they shift the tone, expand the mythology, or introduce a new generation to Oz through a different lens.
This list looks at the Oz films that moved the needle most, then orders them by the size of the footprint they left behind.
Disclaimer: Placement draws on publicly discussed reception and cultural footprint at the time of writing, and different audiences may weigh box office, awards, or long-term influence differently.
1. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Picture this: a film so powerful that researchers studying 47,000 movies crowned it the most influential in Hollywood history. That’s not just impressive, it’s legendary!
The AFI didn’t mess around either, ranking it the number one fantasy film of all time, beating even The Lord of the Rings.
Every “there’s no place like home” reference? That’s this movie’s doing.
Those ruby slippers are recognized worldwide, and the songs still get stuck in people’s heads decades later.
In 2025, Las Vegas even created a 4D immersive version at Sphere, proving its magic never fades.
2. Wicked (2024 film)
Talk about making an entrance!
Wicked stormed into theaters and racked up a jaw-dropping $758.8 million worldwide, instantly becoming the modern face of Oz stories.
Audiences couldn’t get enough of Elphaba’s origin story, and the film sparked conversations everywhere from TikTok to family dinner tables.
What makes this adaptation special is how it flipped the script on everything we thought we knew. Suddenly, the Wicked Witch became relatable, complex, and downright sympathetic.
That kind of cultural shift doesn’t happen often, making this green-skinned heroine’s journey a genuine phenomenon.
3. Wicked: For Good (2025 film)
Sequels often struggle to capture lightning twice, but this follow-up proved the doubters wrong.
Pulling in $527.8 million globally, For Good showed that audiences weren’t done with this reimagined Oz just yet.
The story’s conclusion resonated deeply, giving fans the emotional payoff they’d been craving since the first film’s cliffhanger.
Since it’s still fresh, its long-term impact is still unfolding like a poppy field in spring. However, early signs point to serious staying power, with merchandise flying off shelves and social media buzzing nonstop.
4. The Wiz (1978)
Box office numbers? Not exactly record-breaking. Cultural impact? Absolutely off the charts!
This bold reimagining transported Dorothy from Kansas to Harlem, featuring an all-Black cast that included Diana Ross and a young Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow.
The film dared to ask: what if Oz looked like the streets of New York City?
Decades later, people still discover and celebrate this gem. Its influence on fashion, music, and representation in cinema cannot be overstated.
5. Return to Oz (1985)
If the original Oz was a sunny afternoon, this sequel was a stormy midnight.
Audiences expecting another cheerful sing-along got something completely different: a darker, almost nightmarish journey featuring terrifying Wheelers and a villain who collected heads. Yikes!
Kids who saw it still remember those creepy moments vividly.
Though it didn’t light up theaters initially, Return to Oz earned an Oscar nomination for visual effects and gradually built a devoted cult following.
