The story of Alice in Wonderland has been told many times on screen ‘ but never quite like Tim Burton’s new 3D version.
Burton’s new take on the classic tale, chock full of mind-bending visual effects and starring Johnny Depp as Mad Hatter, Mia Wasikowska as Alice and Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen opens wide in more than 3,700 cinemas. About 2,200 of those will be showing the film in 3D.
With an estimated budget of $250 million, the feature offers a wild assortment of digital characters (including the White Rabbit, The Jabberwocky, The March Hare, The Cheshire Cat, etc) and digitally altered humans such as The Red Queen and the Knave of Hearts. Sony Pictures Imageworks and CafeFX were responsible for the spectacular effects, under the vfx supervision of the amazing Michael Lantieri.
A huge opening is expected for the Disney-released film, with prognosticators placing the domestic take in the $75 million range. The film is opening day and date in 41 international territories, which will boost the film’s take even higher. However, the reviews have been quite mixed. The total score for the film on Rotten Tomatoes website was only 54%, and the consensus notes that the film “sacrifices the book’s minimal narrative coherence–and much of its heart–but it’s an undeniable visual treat.”
The only other major opener this weekend is the crime action film Brooklyn’s Finest, starring Don Cheadle, Richard Gere and Ethan Hawke. The Overture Films release is opening in some 1,900 cinemas.
Avatar watchers will be watching closely to see what kind of impact Alice will have on its grosses. Alice in Wonderland is the first major stereoscopic 3D release since Avatar, and will take away some of the 3D-capable screens that have been propelling the James Cameron film to record box office grosses.
