The Muppets’ Director James Bobin in Talks to Direct ‘Alice in Wonderland’ Sequel!
Lewis
Carroll wrote more than one adventure in Wonderland, so the notion of a
sequel to Alice in Wonderland is hardly new. But the idea of a
film carrying on the approach of Tim Burton’s superficial,
action-oriented film from 2010 does sound a bit ridiculous.
Nevertheless, Burton’s film made over a billion dollars, propelled in
part by a post-Avatar interest in 3D. So a sequel was probably
inevitable.
At
least it won’t be called Alice in Wonderland 2; right now the working
title is Into the Looking Glass. (Presumably to be presented as a
subtitle, so we’ll likely be calling the film Alice in Wonderland: Into
the Looking Glass.)
Now
the film has a likely director in James Bobin. The veteran of Da Ali G
Show and Flight of the Conchords directed The Muppets for Disney, and is
finishing up The Muppets…Again! for the company. Seems like a big
thumbs-up from Disney, which has decided that Bobin is a director who
can create what the
Mouse House wants.
Variety
reports that Linda Woolverton is still writing the sequel. (She also
scripted Burton’s film.) Joe Roth, Suzanne Todd and Jennifer Todd will
be back to produce, but at this point we don’t have any info on casting.
Presumably Mia Wasikowska would be back as Alice, and some of the other
supporting cast from
Burton’s
film could reprise their roles. Johnny Depp was a huge part of the
Burton film, and you’d expect him to return, too. The Wrap says he will,
though “that has not been explicitly announced.”
Bobin doesn’t have a
deal yet, and The Wrap says he has to fully pass muster with Depp, and
then get the thumbs-up from the producers.