No pictures have yet been released of the Cheshire Cat (Stephen Fry), the hideous
Jabberwock (Christopher Lee) or the Caterpillar (Alan Rickman), but all are sure to be
wonderfully warped versions of the original visualisations. It's hard to tell quite yet
whether this is going to be the masterpiece it ought to be, but in terms of design
alone, Burton and his team have come up with something wonderfully creepy and
mesmerizingly vivid.
Jabberwock (Christopher Lee) or the Caterpillar (Alan Rickman), but all are sure to be
wonderfully warped versions of the original visualisations. It's hard to tell quite yet
whether this is going to be the masterpiece it ought to be, but in terms of design
alone, Burton and his team have come up with something wonderfully creepy and
mesmerizingly vivid.
| Delta Films |
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| First look at Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" by Roland Hansen |
You do rather wonder if the
Disney executives knew exactly
what they were getting
themselves into when they hired
Tim Burton, the maverick
mastermind behind Edward
Scissorhands, Beetlejuice and
Corpse Bride, to take on Lewis
Carroll's famous tale, Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland, a
classic of children's storytelling
since its publication in 1865.
Certainly, if they were expecting
something cosy and comfortable,
bright and dreamlike, they are
going to be rather disappointed.
Burton's version, shot in a mix of
live action and performance
capture CGI, looks dark as all hell,
lurid, and unearthly. It also looks
pretty fabulous.
Tim Burton's forthcoming Alice in
Wonderland looks highly
promising: Lewis Carroll's
alternative universe was already
populated by oddballs, but
photographs released this week
hint that Burton will ramp up the
weird factor significantly.
Meanwhile, an early trailer,
screened to journalists in London,
shows a 17-year-old Alice (played
by Australian newcomer Mia
Wasikowska) returning to
Wonderland a decade after her
earlier adventures – and this time
it's a lurid, nightmarish
counterpart to Carroll's original.
Starring seven-time Burton
collaborator Johnny Depp as the
Hatter, the film mixes live action
and CGI, borrowing storylines and
characters from both Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland and
Through the Looking Glass.
Burton's partner, Helena Bonham
Carter, plays the evil Red Queen
(pictured), while Anne Hathaway
plays the lovely White Queen.
Alan Rickman (the Caterpillar),
Matt Lucas (Tweedledum and
Tweedledee), Stephen Fry (the
Cheshire Cat), and Christopher Lee
(the Jabberwock) also take part.
Burton has even signed up
Barbara Windsor to play the
Dormouse. The film is due for
release in March 2010, and will
screen in 3D.
Disney executives knew exactly
what they were getting
themselves into when they hired
Tim Burton, the maverick
mastermind behind Edward
Scissorhands, Beetlejuice and
Corpse Bride, to take on Lewis
Carroll's famous tale, Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland, a
classic of children's storytelling
since its publication in 1865.
Certainly, if they were expecting
something cosy and comfortable,
bright and dreamlike, they are
going to be rather disappointed.
Burton's version, shot in a mix of
live action and performance
capture CGI, looks dark as all hell,
lurid, and unearthly. It also looks
pretty fabulous.
Tim Burton's forthcoming Alice in
Wonderland looks highly
promising: Lewis Carroll's
alternative universe was already
populated by oddballs, but
photographs released this week
hint that Burton will ramp up the
weird factor significantly.
Meanwhile, an early trailer,
screened to journalists in London,
shows a 17-year-old Alice (played
by Australian newcomer Mia
Wasikowska) returning to
Wonderland a decade after her
earlier adventures – and this time
it's a lurid, nightmarish
counterpart to Carroll's original.
Starring seven-time Burton
collaborator Johnny Depp as the
Hatter, the film mixes live action
and CGI, borrowing storylines and
characters from both Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland and
Through the Looking Glass.
Burton's partner, Helena Bonham
Carter, plays the evil Red Queen
(pictured), while Anne Hathaway
plays the lovely White Queen.
Alan Rickman (the Caterpillar),
Matt Lucas (Tweedledum and
Tweedledee), Stephen Fry (the
Cheshire Cat), and Christopher Lee
(the Jabberwock) also take part.
Burton has even signed up
Barbara Windsor to play the
Dormouse. The film is due for
release in March 2010, and will
screen in 3D.
Alice - Mia Wasikowska is shown as Alice. The actress is
best known for her role as a troubled therapy patient on
HBO's "In Treatment.
best known for her role as a troubled therapy patient on
HBO's "In Treatment.
The Mad Hatter - Johnny Depp is shown as The
Mad Hatter from the upcoming film "Alice in
Wonderland," directed by Tim Burton, in this image
released by Disney. The film is scheduled to hit
theaters in March 2010. With his outrageous
appearance, the character could be a cousin to
Depp's Willy Wonka and his Sweeny Todd.
Mad Hatter from the upcoming film "Alice in
Wonderland," directed by Tim Burton, in this image
released by Disney. The film is scheduled to hit
theaters in March 2010. With his outrageous
appearance, the character could be a cousin to
Depp's Willy Wonka and his Sweeny Todd.
The Red Queen - Helena Bonham Carter is shown
as The Red Queen. Tim Burton's wife is no stranger
to extreme makeup. From her ape makeover for
"Planet of the Apes" to her role as the meat-pie
making Mrs. Lovett in "Sweeny Todd," Bonham
Carter has come a long way since her early roles in
period films such as "A Room With A View."
as The Red Queen. Tim Burton's wife is no stranger
to extreme makeup. From her ape makeover for
"Planet of the Apes" to her role as the meat-pie
making Mrs. Lovett in "Sweeny Todd," Bonham
Carter has come a long way since her early roles in
period films such as "A Room With A View."
The White Queen - Anne Hathaway is shown as
The White Queen. After playing a princess twice in
“The Princess Diaries” films, Hathaway finally
graduates to playing a queen. This is the actress's
first time working with director Tim Burton.
The White Queen. After playing a princess twice in
“The Princess Diaries” films, Hathaway finally
graduates to playing a queen. This is the actress's
first time working with director Tim Burton.
Tweedledee and Tweedledum - Matt Lucas
portrays Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Lucas is a
British actor who's a regular on "Little Britain." The
odd twins are the first people that Alice meets on
her Wonderland journey.
portrays Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Lucas is a
British actor who's a regular on "Little Britain." The
odd twins are the first people that Alice meets on
her Wonderland journey.
Playing Alice herself is 19-year-old Australian actor Mia Wasikowska, a virtual unknown.
Burton's reimagining begins with her attending a party at a Victorian estate, only to
find she is about to be proposed to in front of hundreds of snooty society types. Off
she runs, following a white rabbit into a hole and ending up in Wonderland, a place she
visited 10 years before yet doesn't remember. Of course, the weird and wonderful
inhabitants all remember her, very well indeed
Burton's reimagining begins with her attending a party at a Victorian estate, only to
find she is about to be proposed to in front of hundreds of snooty society types. Off
she runs, following a white rabbit into a hole and ending up in Wonderland, a place she
visited 10 years before yet doesn't remember. Of course, the weird and wonderful
inhabitants all remember her, very well indeed
Those who have grown curiouser and curiouser about what the offbeat reinventor of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
might conjure up in his version of Alice in Wonderland can feast their eyes on this array of concept art and publicity images,
due to hang in movie theaters this week to promote the March 5, 2010, release.
"It has been Burton-ized" is how producer Richard Zanuck describes the director's vision of the Lewis Carroll classic. Many
elements are familiar, from the enigmatic Caterpillar (Alan Rickman) to the fierce Jabberwock (Christopher Lee). But none
has been presented in this sort of visually surreal fashion.
"We finished shooting in December after only 40 days," Zanuck says. Now the live action is being merged with CG animation
and motion-capture creatures, and then transferred into 3-D.
might conjure up in his version of Alice in Wonderland can feast their eyes on this array of concept art and publicity images,
due to hang in movie theaters this week to promote the March 5, 2010, release.
"It has been Burton-ized" is how producer Richard Zanuck describes the director's vision of the Lewis Carroll classic. Many
elements are familiar, from the enigmatic Caterpillar (Alan Rickman) to the fierce Jabberwock (Christopher Lee). But none
has been presented in this sort of visually surreal fashion.
"We finished shooting in December after only 40 days," Zanuck says. Now the live action is being merged with CG animation
and motion-capture creatures, and then transferred into 3-D.
The traditional tale has been freshened with a blast of girl power, courtesy of writer Linda Woolverton (Beauty and the Beast).
Alice, 17, attends a party at a Victorian estate only to find she is about to be proposed to in front of hundreds of snooty
society types. Off she runs, following a white rabbit into a hole and ending up in Wonderland, a place she visited 10 years
before yet doesn't remember.
Among those who welcome her back is the Mad Hatter, a part tailor-made for Johnny Depp as he collaborates with Burton for
the seventh time. "This character is off his rocker," Zanuck says.
Aussie actress Mia Wasikowska, 19, best known for HBO's In Treatment, has the coveted title role. "There is something real,
honest and sincere about her," Zanuck says. "She's not a typical Hollywood starlet."
There is the usual Burton-esque ghoulishness (Helena Bonham Carter's Red Queen, whose favorite retort is "Off with their
heads," has a moat filled with bobbing noggins), but Zanuck assures most kids can handle it. "The book itself is pretty dark,"
he notes. "This is for little people and people who read it when they were little 50 years ago."
Alice, 17, attends a party at a Victorian estate only to find she is about to be proposed to in front of hundreds of snooty
society types. Off she runs, following a white rabbit into a hole and ending up in Wonderland, a place she visited 10 years
before yet doesn't remember.
Among those who welcome her back is the Mad Hatter, a part tailor-made for Johnny Depp as he collaborates with Burton for
the seventh time. "This character is off his rocker," Zanuck says.
Aussie actress Mia Wasikowska, 19, best known for HBO's In Treatment, has the coveted title role. "There is something real,
honest and sincere about her," Zanuck says. "She's not a typical Hollywood starlet."
There is the usual Burton-esque ghoulishness (Helena Bonham Carter's Red Queen, whose favorite retort is "Off with their
heads," has a moat filled with bobbing noggins), but Zanuck assures most kids can handle it. "The book itself is pretty dark,"
he notes. "This is for little people and people who read it when they were little 50 years ago."