Welcome to Wonderland

Burtonites desperate for a glimpse at the kooky directors version of Alice in Wonderland will be ecstatic to know USA Today has posted some exclusive concept art and publicity images. I recommend anyone with eyes should check them out here as they are, to put it simply, AMAZING.

Notably the images are a lot brighter than Tim Burtons usual Goth-German expressionist style but hello this is Wonderland and colour is a must. Thankfully for us hardcore fans there are the usually Burtonisms evident, particularly in Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum. Boy oh boy am I excited about this! Not only is Burton one of my favourite directors, this also marks his first foray in to 3D filmmaking. The live action is being merged with CG animation and motion-capture creatures, and then transferred into 3D.

Did I mention the stellar cast? No? Well, it features emerging Aussie talent Mia Wasikowska as Alice, Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, Anne Hathaway as the White Queen, Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen, Alan Rickman as the Caterpillar and Martin Sheen as the White Rabbit. Shooting wrapped up in the UK after only 40 days and work has now begun on what will be intensive post-production. Alice in Wonderland is slated for a March 5, 2010 release date in the US which will no doubt be later for us Aussies in Newfoundland.

Above: Mia Wasikowska in an image from the film, prior to Alice's entry in to Wonderland.