Shooting Dates: Fall of 2008
Shooting Locations: England and Los Angeles, CA
Technical Aspects: Tim Burton shot in 2D and then Alice in Wonderland was converted to 3D. Ken Ralston and Sony Imageworks did more than 2,500 visual effect shots but contrary to some reports, motion capture was not used in the film.
Based On: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There written by Lewis Carroll
Release Date: March 5, 2010
Alice in Wonderland Production Facts and Trivia
- Alice in Wonderland marks the seven collaboration of actor Johnny Depp and director Tim Burton. The pair previously worked together on Edward Scissorhands (1990), Ed Wood (1994), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Corpse Bride (2005), and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007).
- In a very weird coincidence, Tim Burton's office has a connection with the 1907 edition of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. English book illustrator Arthur Rackham did the color plates for that book and he used to own the building where Burton's office in London is located.
- Johnny Depp created watercolor paintings of how he envisioned the Mad Hatter. Because they're so in sync, Depp's drawings were similar to Burton's vision of the character.
- In this take on the classic tale, Depp and Burton used the Mad Hatter's makeup and wardrobe to visually convey the mood swings caused by mercury poisoning. Many hatters of the period suffered from the condition due to the chemicals used in hat-making.
- 5'4" 20 year old Australian actress Mia Wasikowska goes from being six inches tall to 20' tall throughout the film. According to Disney, Burton attempted to create the effect by using practical methods whenever possible. At times Wasikowska stood on an apple box to help her appear taller.
- Anne Hathaway didn't want the White Queen to come across as completely pure. She decided the White Queen is a "punk rock vegan pacifist" and says she was inspired by Blondie, Greta Garbo, Dan Flavin and Norma Desmond.
- British actor Matt Lucas had the difficult task of playing both Tweedledum and Tweedledee in Alice in Wonderland. He couldn't split himself in half, so when there needed to be two Tweedles, Ethan Cohen stepped in to play one or the other. However, Disney says Cohen will never appear in the film.
- Crispin Glover really lost his head over the role of Stayne, the Knave of Hearts. His head's all we'll see of Glover in the actual film as the rest of Stayne is totally computer generated. That said, Glover needed to wear stilts in order to appear taller and, after twisting his ankle, Burton had stuntmen following Glover around in case he fell. These stuntmen all had to wear green so they wouldn't appear on screen.
- Burton's offscreen partner, Helena Bonham Carter, had to sit through three hours of makeup every day in order to get into character as the Red Queen. In post-production Bonham Carter's head was enlarged to make her look more imposing - and big-headed. A 4K hi-def camera was used to shoot Bonham Carter's scenes and then her head was blown up to twice its actual size.
- What's a Futterwacken? Disney has released this official definition: "The term used to describe the Underlanders' dance of unbridled joy."
- Cardboard cut outs, models, and men in green with "eyes stuck to various parts of the anatomy" helped the actors figure out exactly where to look in scenes.
- Most of the sets were created digitally, according to Disney.
- Lewis Carroll's real name was Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson.
