Sabrina Carpenter is swapping her espresso cups for teacups. The “Man’s Best Friend” singer is officially confirmed to star in and produce a musical adaptation of “Alice in Wonderland” for Universal Pictures. The film will be written and directed by Lorene Scafaria (“Hustlers”), with Broadway producer and “Wicked” alum Marc Platt also signing on to produce. Details about the project, which is still in the very early stages, are slim, but here’s what we know so far about this new trip down the rabbit hole.
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Carpenter’s version of “Alice in Wonderland” is expected to be loosely inspired by Lewis Carroll’s classic 1865 novel rather than a faithful retelling. The original Victorian children’s tale follows a curious young girl who tumbles down a rabbit hole and finds herself in a strange, dreamlike world of talking animals, singing flowers, and unsettling characters.
While Carroll’s story has inspired countless reworkings, the most iconic “Alice in Wonderland” interpretations are Disney’s 1951 animated film and Tim Burton’s 2010 live-action blockbuster. For now, it’s unclear whether Universal’s new version will include iconic characters like the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, or the Queen of Hearts.
Carpenter is starring in the adaptation, presumably playing the role of Alice. No other cast members have been announced at this time.
Before her Grammy-winning singing career took off, Carpenter made her onscreen debut as a series regular on Disney Channel’s “Girl Meets World” and appeared in several indie films. In 2020, the pop star played the role of Cady Heron in the Broadway production of “Mean Girls.” “Alice in Wonderland” will mark her first time starring in a major studio film.
In addition to Carpenter and Platt, EPs include Jacqueline Garell, Ryan Jones, and Katie McNicol. Per the Hollywood Reporter, Leslie Morgenstein and Elysa Koplovitz Dutton are producing for Alloy Entertainment (“Gossip Girl,” “The Vampire Diaries”).
At this time, the script is reportedly still in the works, and no production details or casting calls have been announced. We’ll share more “Alice in Wonderland” updates right here as soon as we have them, but until then, hop over to these other projects that are in the works:
- Everything We Know About ‘The Legend of Zelda’ Live-Action Film
- Everything We Know About Mandy Moore’s NFL Drama From ‘This Is Us’ Creator
- Everything We Know About Universal Pictures’ ‘The Mummy 4’
- Everything We Know About the Madonna Biopic
- Everything We Know About ‘Camp Rock 3’
- Everything We Know About Marvel Studios’ ‘X-Men’ Reboot
Wondering how to get to Wonderland? Start here with audition advice and tips on Backstage:
- How to Choose an Audition Song
- 5 Types of Musicals (With Examples)
- How to Do a Cheshire Cat Grin
- Singing Techniques to Improve Your Vocal Performance
- How to Shoot a Self-Taped Audition
