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From Theater Mania
Carter, Depp, Hathaway, Sheen Set for Burton's Alice in Wonderland
By: Brian Scott Lipton · Oct 7, 2008 · New York
Sweeney Todd director Tim Burton and stars Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter will reunite for a new film version of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, due for release in 2010, according to published reports.
The film, which will use a combination of live action and performance-capture
technology, will star Mia Wasikowska as Alice, along with Anne Hathaway
and Michael Sheen. Additional casting is still to be announced.
From Sarah found at INF Daily
OUR FIRST LOOK AT TIM BURTON'S ALICE IN WONDERLAND!
Submitted by Mary Beth on Fri, 2008-09-26 12:37.
Tim Burton is hard at work filming his next opus, a screen adaptation
of Lewis Carroll's classic story Alice in Wonderland.
Currently shooting in Cornwall, England, the part of Alice will be played by a young Australian actress by the name of Mia Wasikowska. The movie will be a mix of live action and CGI and star Burton's favorite muse Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter-too perfect!
Also on set with the actors were Burton's wife Helena Bonham Carter and their baby daughter (still unnamed) who appears to be dressed up as an extra in the film.
I'm so excited for this, the set and the costumes look amazing!
Unfortunately though we have a bit of a wait, Alice in Wonderland is expected
for 2010. Guess for now I'll have be satisfied with the cartoon or
just listen to "White Rabbit" on repeat.
From The National Post
(excerpt)
Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland -- starring Johnny Depp -- has found another star: Anne Hathaway.
Found by emma at Variety
Posted: Tue., Sep. 30, 2008, 9:00pm PT
Michael Sheen joins 'Wonderland'
'Frost' star also set for Jordan's 'Unthinkable'
By ALI JAAFAR
LONDON -- Brit thesp Michael Sheen has joined Samuel L. Jackson on the thriller "Unthinkable" and will also appear in Tim Burton's re-imagining of classic children's story "Alice in Wonderland."
"Unthinkable," helmed by Gregor Jordan ("The Informers"), looks at the ethics of torture after a terrorist threatening to detonate nuclear devices in the U.S. is questioned by a black-ops interrogator and an FBI agent (Carrie-Ann Moss).
Pic starts shooting this month.
Thesp will also have a role in "Alice in Wonderland," in which Johnny Depp is playing the Mad Hatter.
Both pics are a change in direction for Sheen, who has made a name for himself playing real-life characters to critical acclaim.
Sheen stars as British TV personality David Frost in Ron Howard's upcoming "Frost/Nixon." He portrayed former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in "The Deal" and "The Queen," both of which were directed by Stephen Frears.
In "The Damned United" he plays legendary English soccer coach Brian Clough. Pic is in post-production.
Sheen may also reprise his role as Blair in Morgan's "The Special Relationship,"
an intimate look at the former prime minister's relationships with U.S.
presidents Clinton and George W. Bush.
From the Chicago Sun Times
'Pirates' treasure for Depp
$55 million payday vaults actor past Smith as top earner
September 26, 2008
BY BILL ZWECKER Sun-Times Columnist
Thanks to his latest deal with Disney, Johnny Depp has leapfrogged
past Will Smith to become the top-earning star in Hollywood.
According to Forbes magazine, Smith was last year's top earner -- taking
home an estimated $80 million overall. Depp already was No. 2, at $72 million,
but now the actor will clearly move into the lead.
According to a Disney source who spoke to this column, Depp's agreement to make a fourth ''Alice In Wonderland'' film, star as Tonto in the new big-screen ''The Lone Ranger'' and portray the Mad Hatter in director Tim Burton's new ''Alice in Wonderland'' will put the popular star on top.
It's mainly because Depp will also get the biggest-ever paycheck for
an individual film: a reported $55 million for the next ''Pirates'' flick.
That surpasses the previous top earner, Tom Hanks (at $49 million), for
the upcoming ''Angels & Demons,'' based on Dan Brown's novel.
From One of Kazren's Disney Sources
I know that you already have this news: there will be a POTC 4!
Yesterday Disney had a Showcase Event and Dick Cook ended the event by bringing out Johnny Depp (dressed as Jack Sparrow, but with a feather in his headband and holding a Lone Ranger "masquerade" mask. They announced that he signed on for POTC 4, The Lone Ranger and Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (as the Mad Hatter).
and to confirm from MTV
Sep 25 2008 12:28 PM EDT
Johnny Depp Signs On To Bring
Back Captain Jack In 'Pirates 4'
Disney also nabs Depp for
'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Lone Ranger.'
By Larry Carroll
Johnny Depp is a busy, busy man. For the next several years, he'll be playing pirate, mad hatter, and cowboys and Indians. And — most important for a certain studio — he'll be doing it all while wearing mouse ears.
The 45-year-old actor, arguably the most desired A-list actor in Hollywood at the moment, made a surprise appearance in Hollywood Wednesday at the "Walt Disney Showcase," a preview of the studio's next several years of movies. As the crowd roared, it was announced that Depp would play the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland," Tonto in Tim Burton's "Lone Ranger" and one additional role.
On Thursday morning (September 25), that role was announced by Depp's reps, confirming the dreams of millions who spent the night sleeping on Orlando Bloom bedsheets: Captain Jack Sparrow will return to fight another day.
According to "Variety," Depp has signed on for a fourth "Pirates of the Caribbean" film, returning to the franchise that has earned a combined $2.6 billion at the box office. Although he previously hinted that he'd be open to setting sail again in his most iconic role, it is largely believed that it will be a solo journey, as "Pirates" co-stars Bloom and Keira Knightley have insisted they're finished with the franchise. Last year's "At World's End" concluded with Sparrow setting sail for the Fountain of Youth, likely hinting at the adventure soon to come.
But before audiences see Depp back in his ratty pirate clothes and beaded beard, they can look forward to having a tea party with him in 2010. Stepping into the iconic role of the Mad Hatter, Depp joins previously announced 18-year-old newcomer Mia Wasikowska, who has been chosen to play Alice. The 3-D "Alice in Wonderland" will reunite one of the most successful director-actor duos of the last few decades for the seventh time; Depp has previously collaborated with Burton on everything from "Edward Scissorhands" to "Sweeney Todd."
Most likely sometime between those two films, Depp will hit the screen opposite an unnamed kemo sabe for a 21st century re-imagining of "The Lone Ranger," as previously announced by super-producer Bruckheimer. For a brief period of time, some news outlets believed that Depp would be playing the heroic cowboy — but this morning, the actor's reps insisted that he'd been cast as the Ranger's long-suffering, fiercely loyal Native American sidekick, Tonto. Depp, who has said in interviews that he has some Cherokee and Navajo in his blood, previously portrayed an American Indian in the 1997 film "The Brave."
Photo scanned by emma from the Hollywood Reporter
and from PopWatch
Johnny Depp, Miley Cyrus, and other stars show for the unveiling of
Disney's upcoming movie slate
Sep 25, 2008, 10:00 AM | by John Young
Categories: Animals, Animation, Film, Waiting, Web/Tech
Bolt_l Disney just can't get enough of Johnny Depp. At yesterday's Walt Disney Studios Showcase, an all-day extravaganza of film previews and casting announcements, Disney revealed not one, not two, but three new projects for Depp. Dick Cook, the studio's chairman and the event's emcee, labeled the roles the "Depp trifecta." Might as well call it the "Depp monopoly."
First up is Tim Burton's live-action/CG adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, in which Depp has been tapped to play the part of the Mad Hatter. The movie is scheduled to be released in 2010.
Then, as the USC Trojans marching band played the finale of the William Tell Overture, Depp appeared on the Kodak Theatre stage dressed in his Jack Sparrow outfit and holding the Lone Ranger's mask. With just a few words of explanation, Cook confirmed it: Depp will star in a fourth Alice In Wonderland installment, as well as a Lone Ranger movie in which the actor will play the title character's sidekick, Tonto.
But the day wasn't all about Depp. Also stopping by to support their upcoming projects were Jim Carrey, Nicolas Cage, Robin Williams, John Travolta, Sandra Bullock, Dwayne Johnson, Tim Allen, Miley Cyrus, and the cast of High School Musical 3. Plus, there was a major casting announcement involving Oprah Winfrey. All of the juicy details are after the jump.
Let's split the Disney news into three categories: animated movies, live-action movies, and Tim Burton movies (because, really, they're their own genre anyway).
Animated Movies
* Disney screened its November toon, Bolt, in its
entirety. Although the film was only 80% complete and contained many unfinished
shots, the audience seemed to eat it up. Playing particularly well were
two supporting characters: Mittens, a snarky street cat, and Rhino, a hamster
with uninhibited enthusiasm.
* John Lasseter showed a teaser for the next Pixar
production, Up. The film, which is scheduled for May 2009, follows 78-year-old
Carl (voiced by Ed Asner) as he travels the world in his balloon-powered
flying house. The movie gives off a definite Hayao Miyazaki vibe, and it's
bound to be compared to Howl's Moving Castle, which also featured an elderly
protagonist and a transportable house. Up will be Pixar's first 3-D feature.
* Oprah Winfrey will voice Eudora, the mother of
the main character in The Princess and the Frog (December 2009), which
marks Disney's return to hand-drawn animation. Set in New Orleans, the
movie will feature six songs written by Randy Newman.
* Director Robert Zemeckis and star Jim Carrey were
on hand to vouch for A Christmas Carol (November 2009), which is being
filmed with Zemeckis' favorite toy, performance capture, thereby enabling
Carrey to play Scrooge at five different ages and all three of the Ghosts
of Christmas.
* The release of Pixar's Cars 2 has been moved up
a year to Summer 2011.
* And, yes, Toy Story 3 is coming. It'll be in 3-D
and will focus on how the toys adjust to life after their owner, Andy,
leaves home for college.
Live-Action Movies
* Director Kenny Ortega and the cast of High School
Musical 3: Senior Year presented some razzle-dazzle footage from the October
movie. Strangely, Ortega did all the talking while his hot, young stars
stood silently by his side.
* When presenting the Robin Williams and John Travolta
buddy film, Old Dogs, Dick Cook swore the title didn't refer to the ex-Miramax
presidents Bob and Harvey Weinstein.
* John Travolta (again), Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence,
and William H. Macy talked about Wild Hogs 2: Bachelor Ride. Things got
awkward when Travolta and Lawrence admitted they hadn't read the film's
script yet.
* Sandra Bullock plugged the romantic comedy The
Proposal; Dwayne Johnson charmed his way through a presentation of the
remake, Race to Witch Mountain; and George Lopez described Beverly Hills
Chihuahua as the "Citizen Canine" of dog movies (get it?).
* And Hannah Montana: The Movie is a reality. Miley
Cyrus performed a song from the movie, and it's going to take more than
a tablespoon of gingko biloba for me to remember anything else about the
song.
Tim Burton Movies
* Bruckheimer and Nicolas Cage announced a trio of
collaborations. First was (no surprise) National Treasure 3. Then out of
left field came The Sorcerer's Apprentice, a live-action adaptation of
the famous Mickey Mouse segment in Fantasia. Cage will play a New York
sorcerer who, you guessed it, has to find an apprentice. Finally, there's
G-Force, which is about a team of genetically enhanced guinea pigs that
has to save the world. When it came time to describe the movie, it was
painfully obvious that Bruckheimer was reading off a teleprompter.
* We got an early look at Prince of Persia: The
Sands of Time, which featured a ripped Jake Gyllenhaal as the lead. It
seems the movie will stick fairly close to the plot of the video games,
and time travel will play a significant role.
Finally, we saw the Comic-Con footage of TRON 2, which is going by the
impossible-to-pronounce TR2N. I didn't know which category to place the
movie because it looks almost entirely CG-animated, but a live-action Jeff
Bridges shows up at the end. The scene contained a nifty update of the
"chicken race" from the original TRON, and it felt simultaneously futuristic
and retro.
From KTLA
September 25, 2008
Sam Rubin this morning on the KTLA morning news announced that we will be seeing Johnny Depp in "Alice In Wonderland Four." This was predicted by...
From Cinematical
Disney To Release 'Tron 2' and Pirates 4 in 2011?
Filed under: Classics, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Disney, RumorMonger, Johnny
Depp, Remakes and Sequels
Sometimes it never feels like the film world really moves forward.
A Disney spy reports that Disney has plans to release a bunch of sequels in 2011, one of which is their long-long-long awaited sequel to Tron . That is 29 years after the original was released, which surely must be some kind of record. Hasn't it been just too long? Even the plan to release it in 3-D doesn't really freshen it up for me, but I never was a big fan of the film.
But a franchise much nearer and dearer to the hearts of a younger generation may also be revived -- word has it that Disney also plans to release a fourth Alice In Wonderland. And there are conflicting reports on where Disney wants to go with it. Some within the studio want to do a smaller film, probably heavy on the Jack Sparrow, and lighter on the special effects budget. Others want to go completely the opposite and make it beyond fantastical, with dinosaurs and steampunkish floating fortresses. (To be honest, it sounds like some Disney execs have been playing Pirates of the Cursed Seas. That isn't as crazy as it sounds, they did a Pirates set with the company.)
I think it is inevitable a fourth film will be made, particularly after the bitter disappointment caused by the third installment. The Pirates frenzy is just starting to abate and with a bit of breathing room, it would undoubtedly be just as popular. And perhaps most importantly for my household, my sister's boyfriend will have a job impersonating Jack Sparrow for a few more years.
and from Monsters
and Critics
Johnny Depp confirmes Pirates 4 and 5
People News
May 28, 2007, 7:00 GMT
Johnny Depp wants to star in another two 'Alice In Wonderland' movies.
The Hollywood actor - who plays Captain Jack Sparrow in the hit film series - insists he is not ready to say goodbye to his beloved character, despite already appearing in three movies.
He said: "Doing the 'Pirates...' movies has been an absolute blast. I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have had such a great experience. If I walk away from Jack now, I'll walk away with some amazing memories. But the end of the third movie leaves open the possibility of a fourth or fifth film, which I wouldn't be opposed to as an actor because I feel there is a lot more territory to explore with Captain Jack. I've never really felt I'm done with playing the character, so why shouldn't we try a fourth and a fifth?"
Last week, film fans voted Captain Jack Sparrow Depp's greatest film role.
The pirate was overwhelmingly declared the actor's best part by fans voting at www.pearlanddean.com.
Sparrow, the central character in the massively successful 'Pirates of the Caribbean' franchise, received 57 per cent of the votes, well ahead of Depp's portrayal of Edward Scissorhands, which garnered 17 per cent.
From Kazren
Over a year ago I was told by someone who works within Disney that
Pirates 4 was a certainty, due to the huge monetary rewards, and that Johnny
had said he'd be there IF Gore Verbinski would direct. So far, I've
had no confirmation on Gore Directing, in fact, he has said he never wanted
to do another "water" movie, however the writers, Ted and Terry, have hinted
that they've got an outline for the script and if they got the advance,
they'd write it.
