The rumor that hit last week about a possible new project for Sam Mendes, now that the next James Bond is on indefinite hold, seemed too crazy to believe. Mendes tackling a Wizard of Oz prequel? Starring Robert Downey Jr.? At Disney? This is a real thing that someone wants to make? Well, yes, and apparently so real that someone else is fighting Mendes for the job. The LA Times reports that Adam Shankman, he of Hairspray and producing this year's Oscars fame, is openly angling for the gig, and has even taken to his Twitter account to continue the campaign.

The Times also reports that Shankman has walked away from a somewhat dormant project, Bob the Musical, in order to prove to Disney how serious he is about the Oz prequel, titled The Great Powerful. There's no word on who's the likeliest candidate, though given that Shankman is on something of a hot streak and Mendes' last two films were flops (Revolutionary Road and Away We Go), I can guess who has the edge. Keep following Shankman's Twitter account, though; apparently he sees no shame in letting us all in on the ugly details.