ABC Plots a Return to Oz

When Michael Ausiello from TVLine tells you that Salma Hayek is bringing a wicked new project to ABC, he means that quite literally.

Sources confirm that the actress-producer is teaming with ABC to develop an eight-hour miniseries adaptation of" Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West," the Gregory Maguire bestseller that spawned the Broadway phenom.

The insider stresses that it would be based on the novel and not the musical. As a result, this Wicked would be less of a prequel and more of a parallel story to The Wizard of Oz. (Universal, as you may know, is currently developing a Wicked film, and that would be based on the musical.)

ABC Studios will produce along with Hayek and Jose Tamez through the duo’s Ventanarosa Productions. The ex-Ugly Betty producer may also play a supporting role in the project, which is being penned by Erik Jendresen (Band of Brothers).

Oh, and some juicy background: Two years ago, ABC — under then-president Steve McPherson — passed on a Wicked mini. But his successor, former ABC Family boss Paul Lee, resurrected it soon after taking the reins last summer.

Thoughts? Excited to see ABC getting back in the miniseries business? Got casting suggestions for Elphaba and Galinda? Michael Ausiello is for Glee‘s go-to airhead, Heather Morris, as the Good Witch and Raising Hope‘s Shannon Woodward as the green one. I would go with Glee's Lea Michele as Elphaba and maybe Christina Aguilera as GA-Linda!