When Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland was announced, some fans believed that the film would bring a darker vision of Wonderland to life â — similar to the classic video game American McGee's Alice. While the film was not a bright and happy affair, it was a long way from the disturbing story that was told across the game, its sequel Alice: Madness Returns and the in-development third installment Alice: Asylum. Now it looks like the haunting and murderous vision of Wonderland will be coming to the small screen in a new TV adaptation with X-Men writer David Hayter on board as showrunner.American McGee shared the news as revealed by The Hollywood Reporter, who commented that he had "hinted at a big news announcement." Although there are no details around which platform will be taking on the series, or any other specifics about it, just knowing that the show is moving ahead will be enough for fans of the game series who have waited a long time for this development to happen.
"American McGee's Alice and Alice: Madness Returns game series is a groundbreaking reimagining of the classic tale," Hayter, who is also known to gamers as the voice of Solid Snake in Metal Gear Solid, said in a statement. "It takes you into the heart of a corrupted Wonderland and throws light into shadowy corners the world has never seen. I am beyond excited to bring this world of madness and wonder to a global audience."
"David Hayter brings imagination, experience, and stealth sneaking skills gained through successful missions in film, TV, and video games – a unique combination sure to make this adventure into Wonderland a successful one for the franchise and the fans," McGee added in his own statement. "I am excited to be working with him and know the Alice fans will welcome him with mad affection."
American McGee’s Alice Is One of the Darkest Iterations of Wonderland Out There
There have been many adaptations of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland and its follow up Alice: Through The Looking Glass, but while most have been made with children in mind, American McGee’s Alice arrived in 2000 from EA Games intended for a mature audience with themes of murder, death and a dark and depraved Wonderland as its setting. The storyline of the original game sees Alice having undergone several years of psychological treatment after her parents are killed, and her damaged brain uses Wonderland as a refuge, but her troubled mind has altered the fantasy world into something very dangerous.
With many dark fantasies such as The Witcher bringing in large audience numbers, it seems like the right time for someone to have a go at bringing American McGee’s Alice to life on screen, and it seems that the creator is excited to see what Hayter can help to develop from the game’s original story of murder and madness. While the announcement clearly suggests a show that is only in the very first stages of development and that means there is still a long way to go before we see the finished product, it is hard not to get a little excited about the much darker visit to Wonderland coming soon.