Casting rumor–Johnny Depp to play the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton's ALICE IN WONDERLAND?

Will Johnny Depp’s next movie role be the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton’s upcoming 3-D version of Lewis Carroll’s children’s classic ALICE IN WONDERLAND? So far the only casting decision to be officially confirmed by the Disney studios is the selection of Australian Mia Wasikowska to play Alice; however, the Hollywood grapevine is buzzing with reports that Johnny Depp will play the (dare we say it?) quirky Mad Hatter. As rumors go, this one has more credibility than most, as Burton and Depp have collaborated on six previous films, from EDWARD SCISSORHANDS in 1990 through last year’s Golden Globe-winning SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET.

The Burton version of ALICE IN WONDERLAND will be based on a script by Linda Woolverton (THE LION KING), and will be produced by longtime Burton collaborator Richard Zanuck, former Disney chairman Joe Roth, and Jennifer and Suzanne Todd. The film will be presented in Disney Digital 3-D and will be shot with live-action and performance-capture footage. The last official reports had ALICE IN WONDERLAND set to begin principal photography in November, but all scheduling is subject to change due to the labor impasse between the studios and the Screen Actors Guild.

The Zone thanks Sleepy for the news; you can read more about ALICE IN WONDERLAND on the Zone’s News & Views forum. –Part-Time Poet