On Alice in Wonderland
Because people keep asking: I didn’t work on Disney’s Tim Burton-directed Alice in Wonderland. At all.
The movie was written by Linda Woolverton. I never read the script, and haven’t seen a frame beyond the trailers and commercials. I’ll get to see the film for the first time on Monday, and really look forward to it.
With that clarification out of the way, let me explain a strange fact of my career: I’ve not written Alice in Wonderland three times. It’s a recurring motif.
1995
The story that became Go was originally envisioned as a retelling of Alice, substituting the underground rave scene for Wonderland. As it developed, I pretty thoroughly scotched those ambitions, but you can still see vestigial elements in the first section of the film:
- Ronna, like Alice, charges boldly into unknown territory, and proves unexpectedly brave in the face of strange events.
- She visits a smoking psychedelicist who talks in riddles but ultimately helps her.
- Poorly labeled drugs are consumed with unanticipated consequences.
- A talking (telepathic) cat offers advice.
Other than the cat, these are all extremely tenuous connections. I would never claim that Go is remotely an adaptation of Alice. Rather, I had Alice bumping around in my head during Go’s genesis, and some Alice DNA worked its way into the genotype. For example, the yellow Miata was for a long time a white Volkwagen Rabbit.
2000
Shortly after the release of Go, producer Paul Rosenberg brought me to E3 to introduce me to American McGee, who was working on a videogame adaptation of Alice. The world he had come up with was dark and spectacular. American and I hit it off so well that two hours later we were pitching a movie version to director Wes Craven.
Craven said yes, and Miramax bought it the next day. They wanted the movie out within a year.
But I was already committed to writing three other projects. So we reached a compromise: rather than writing the script, I would write a detailed treatment laying out the characters, story and world. So I did. The document was 21 single-spaced pages. American McGee liked it, as did the producers. Wes Craven didn’t. And thus began a series of writers and re-imaginings that as far as I know may continue to this day. It’s been in turnaround several times.
I left the project having a friendly relationship with American McGee, who later introduced me to fellow game designer Jordan Mechner. Which begat the movie version of Prince of Persia and several other collaborations.
2007
While standing in the registration line for the Sundance Film Festival, where The Nines was about to premiere, I got a call asking if I would be interested in writing an adaptation of Alice in Wonderland for director Sam Mendes at Dreamworks. I said yes as I was trying on my official Sundance parka.
I met with Sam in New York and pitched my take, which blended a lot of Lewis Carroll’s biography into the story. As before, I was backed up on other projects (including the release of The Nines), so it would be six months before I could get started. I got about 40 pages written before the WGA strike began, at which point I had to stop working.
During the strike, Disney’s Woolverton-scripted Alice roared to life when Tim Burton signed on to direct it. I’d always been aware of it as a potentially-competing project, but now my Alice would be going up against the guy who had directed my last three films. It didn’t matter that our takes were wildly different; the world didn’t need or want two pricey Alice in Wonderland movies.
The day the strike ended, I called Sam Mendes, the studio, the producer, and my agent. Tim Burton’s movie was already in preproduction. It was pointless for me to keep writing something that couldn’t and shouldn’t get made. After a few days of discussion, we reached an agreement. I wrote a check back to Dreamworks and the project was killed.
This adaption of Alice was the closest of any of mine to becoming real. I love what I wrote, so it’s disappointing and frustrating that it won’t end up on screen. But that reality is a big part of any working screenwriter’s life. Much more important than this half-written movie was maintaining relationships with studios and filmmakers I hope to keep working with for the next few decades.
I left Alice to write a different movie for Sam Mendes and two more projects for Tim Burton. So, as before, my failed Alice had a curious number of upsides.
2025
Considering it’s been 15 years to this point, I suspect it may be another 15 before I finally write an Alice in Wonderland. That’s okay. Writers aren’t Olympic athletes; we can have very long careers.
Whatever the future looks like, Alice in Wonderland will still be relevant. Depending on your approach, the story can be silly, scary, ominous or charming. Is it a dark parable of computerized dystopia? Sure. Candy-colored comedy of manners? Perfect.
Alice has become one of our fundamental myths, an ur-story that thrives through perpetual reinvention. I’m looking forward to seeing this year’s Alice, and all the ones thereafter.
Articles
February 25th, 2010 at 4:56 pm
Dude, what a cool history of “almost”s. Also, I LOVE seeing the parallels (however tenuous) between Go and AiW. I admit I wouldn’t have noticed the connection (and didn’t) until you pointed it out, but now that you mention it… I totally see it!
While we’re (not) on the topic, way back during the Superbowl, a Prince of Persia commercial came on and I squealed. Everyone looked at me, and my boyfriend was like, “Oh don’t mind her, she’s just crazy.” And another dude goes, “About what?” And before I could answer, the two other girls shouted, “PRINCE OF PERSIA!”
So yeah, we’re excited. :)
February 25th, 2010 at 5:04 pm
Didn’t Zach Helm have a notorious version of Alice floating around too?
February 25th, 2010 at 6:15 pm
Wait,
Do you had to give money back to a Producer/Production Company when they decided not to move forward with the project?
I think I understand the situation, you were leaving the project as well so it makes sense. But what if you didn’t have the money to return? Would you be in debt to the studio?
Does this happen often? Or does it only happen when you’ve reached an agreement to mutually end it? If you hadn’t given that back, do you think they would have forced you to move forward with the project?
February 25th, 2010 at 6:28 pm
You never know where the rabbit hole goes I guess. It would have been great to see your take on ‘Alice’ with Carroll’s biography woven in, but it’s inspiring to hear how the different projects resulted in something positive but unexpected.
Looking forward to the 2025 version! ;-)
February 25th, 2010 at 6:36 pm
@Tyler Leisher:
It was a really strange situation, and it wasn’t anyone’s fault. Could I have kept the money and handed in a script they couldn’t/shouldn’t/wouldn’t make? Yes. But it would have angered everyone involved.
We did discuss my writing something else for Dreamworks instead of Alice. But deciding on that project would have meant months of discussion, when I really needed to be writing some of the other projects I owed.
February 25th, 2010 at 9:39 pm
So, who owns the 40 pages….and when will we get to behold them?
February 25th, 2010 at 10:34 pm
With all these evolution, I just can’t wait to have a glimpse of the movie. I really am curious of Johnny’s looks, he seems to indifferent all the time. Alice in Wonderland is simply a classic for me.
February 25th, 2010 at 10:50 pm
Depressing. Just your career of ‘almost’ is something a lot of writers would kill for. Heads up, John. I will be emailing an ‘Ask John’ question sometime next month. Your guidance is needed, for my 8 Ball is starting to get an attitude. Hey, just remembered… I believe you said you’ve been playing GTA IV. While I was hunting flying rats, I discovered a ride in the theme park called, “The Corpse Ride.” I think we all know what they were alluding to there. Expect a check in the mail for your work as a level designer for GTA. :)
February 26th, 2010 at 7:57 am
Excellent post.
re this: “…rather than writing the script, I would write a detailed treatment laying out the characters, story and world. So I did. The document was 21 single-spaced pages….
Since I only discover a story (and flesh out the plot points) as I write them, for me, writing a single-spaced 21 page treatment would be far more work than writing the actual script.
You’ve mentioned in a previous post that it takes you around two months or so to come up with a draft that is “there” enough to send to a studio — how long does it take you to write a 21 page treatment? And if you were writing the script from that treatment, does it actually resemble the treatment by the end or does half the stuff you come up with at the “treatment stage” get nixed once you’re facing the reality of writing it?
And this is probably such a stupid question I shouldn’t be asking, but if you’re pitching a project and a studio exec is interested, do they usually want a treatment? Or do you have the choice of just writing the script and showing them that?
February 26th, 2010 at 8:02 am
I have such a love/hate relationship with Wes Craven. I love the Scream trilogy and A Nightmare on Elm Street. I hate that he killed your Alice adaptation. I think it could have been amazing. What gives him the right! Lol. Go is my all time favorite movie. I see the Alice parallels now, though I have to admit I’d never thought of that before.
February 26th, 2010 at 8:55 am
I think it’s fair to assume that nearly any film can be remade in 20 years give or take with a few notable exceptions.
I have a long list of near-classics that could be done at any moment.
Sean
February 26th, 2010 at 9:22 am
I was somewhat disappointed to hear about Tim Burton’s AiW film due to the fact that i absolutely loved American McGee’s Alice. I played that game through and through about 4 times and always thought it would make an excellent movie. Now that a huge name like Tim Burton releases a “twisted” version of the story then my dream of seeing American’s version on film is pretty much done. How about a script for… American McGee’s Oz? Thanks, and look forward to PoP.
February 26th, 2010 at 11:25 am
Kudos for your behavior. I’ll go out on a limb saying that maybe this is why, along with talent, you enjoy such a (relatively) long and fruitful career.
February 27th, 2010 at 5:35 am
John, thanks a lot for that detailed look back! I just stumbled upon your Twitter and blog via IMDb as I was finding out who wrote and directed The Nines which I recently saw. Believe or not, so far I have seen the movie once but the first ten minutes of it for about a dozen times. Just love your work and I really enjoyed getting to know about you and your history of Alice. Keep on the good work and blogging!
Best wishes for your Alice in your lifetime HS Müller
February 27th, 2010 at 9:51 am
Love this story. I want to know more about the Carroll-autobiography/Alice in Wonderland story. Now that sounds interesting. Sort of like “Finding Wonderland”? Sounds great.
February 27th, 2010 at 9:58 am
@ Zac
I think Wes was a poor choice in the first place since he’s mostly a slasher film orientated director because that he ever does best.
February 27th, 2010 at 11:02 am
OmG!!! I wish I could read your take(s) on the story!!!!!! I hope after Tim Burton’s “Alice” they will made in a few years a much closer adaption to the original books with YOUR script. This would be a dream come true!! I’m such a big fan of you!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 27th, 2010 at 11:12 am
Oh, by the way, could you probably say more about Sam Mendes “Alice”?! You must’nt spoil it if you would’nt/could’nt, but it sounds so interesting, I mean as you say, it has a lot of Lewis Carroll’s real life coming together with the famous story???Could’nt image it really- maybe something like the movie “Dreamchild” (1985)?! Was it going to a movie for the whole family, a closer adaption than Tim Burtons, or not? Because I just would be happy to see a closer, childfriendly adaption of the books with marvelous visual effects, but probably this will not happen ever… :( Just curious. Thanks a lot. Sorry for my bad english.^^
February 27th, 2010 at 3:37 pm
@Jonathan/@Rob:
“Finding Neverland” was certainly an easy talking point. My (third) version had a lot of Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) and his relationship with the Liddell family.
February 27th, 2010 at 11:53 pm
Thanks a lot!!!
February 28th, 2010 at 11:50 am
I’m not going to lie…I personally would love to watch your version and the Burton version side by side……BUT of course, your decision was both smart and logical.
I look forward to 2025 when your Alice finally makes her debut ;)
March 1st, 2010 at 12:31 am
The Tin Woodsman and Cowardly Lion were all representations of Dorothy’s real life people… her biography intertwined with the fantasy line. There’s a book called WAS (a dark rewriting of the Wizard of Oz) that makes some cool choices in that arena.
The supporting characters in Alice are a series of passing nostalgic meetings… all isolated examples of the world, rejoining at the end, in exactly the same way that they are in Never Ending Story and Labyrinth… so choosing to pretend like they’re not breaking gospel with a mallet by implying the Mad Hatter is something other than that is a bit of a dark cannon decision. So I reserve judgment. – I really hope I don’t see him following her around as a guide or anything. Its one thing to add a puppet hospital. – But burning the book’s spine isn’t technically creative license. Johnny Depp can do a lot of things… but Steven Tyler is the Mad Hatter.
March 1st, 2010 at 12:58 am
I should also say that: I didn’t think Tom Cruise could be Lestat either. I was pretty wrong.
March 1st, 2010 at 12:10 pm
If you’re up for it, I’d like to review your treatment for Alice and post it on Scriptshadow.
March 4th, 2010 at 1:59 am
I had a few meetings with Wes on his version of the American McGee ‘Alice’ project in the end of 2002 and pitched him a version of the story that incorporated biographical elements of Dodgson’s/Carroll’s life with Alice’s. He was actually pretty hip to the idea, but alas I was never hired. John, I think you and I have (or had) the same agent. Funny stuff, all that.
Anyhow, first time posting here but I enjoy reading your website.
March 8th, 2010 at 8:29 am
By, the way, if I may ask, how did you like Tim Burton’s take on the story?! I must confess I’m not completly happy with Linda Woolverton’s script…
March 8th, 2010 at 9:08 pm
Ok John, I saw Tim Burton’s Alice and it’s time for you and Wes Craven to get the wheels turning again on your version because Tim’s stunk (and i am a huge fan of Tim Burton’s movies normally)! I know you will probably play this politically correct because you are a gentleman, but Linda Woolverton’s story was horrible…omg she had no business being hired for this movie, what was Disney thinking…it wasn’t daring enough, they didn’t take any chances. John August/American Mcgee/Wes Craven combo for their version of Alice is what the people want, trust me!!!!
March 16th, 2010 at 4:31 am
Read the Zach Helm script. An excellent script with an interesting preface. I thought the Emporium pretentious and predictable but this script is far more imaginative with dark undertones that would have suited Burton directing as well. A Oz/Wonderland hybrid would be interesting, perhaps vetting Alice and Dorothy as queens at war.