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Disney has come through the rabbit hole and pronounced that the Tim Burton-directed 3D conversion Alice in Wonderland surpassed the $1 billion mark in global box office. For non-sequels, that puts the picture behind only Titanic and Avatar.
Given that happy ending, it’s small wonder that Disney and other studios have placed a premium on public domain fairy tales. I’m hearing Disney has been flirting with Timur Bekmambetov as possible director for its Mitchell Kapner-scripted origin story The Great and Powerful Oz. That project had Adam Shankman and Sam Mendes mentioned as possible filmmakers, and it’s just one of a slew of Oz pictures percolating. The Wanted director also is circling Disney’s Jungle Cruise, the long-gestating action-adventure movie idea based on the Disney theme park ride. Timur pitched a take to film’s Mandeville producers and writers are meeting on the project.
Back on the fairy tale front, Disney recently made the seven-figure deal for a reinvention of Cinderella that will be scripted by The Devil Wears Prada scribe Aline Brosh McKenna.
Disney Pays Seven-Figures For Aline Brosh McKenna’s Live-Action ‘Cinderella’ Pitch
For more estimates listed by title, see box office results here...
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Alice’s success was a perfect storm that won’t be replicated:
#1. It was the first 3D film released after Avatar, which allowed it to jump on Avatar’s success as audiences figured, “the 3D in Alice will probably be just as impressive as the 3D in Avatar.”
#2. ‘Alice in Wonderland’ is a massively popular story amongst teenagers across the country who study the book in high school. Also, the various drug references have made it popular among older drug users.
#3. This was an example of a director who fit the source material perfectly. Tim Burton is known for making weird, quirky visuals and Johnny Depp is most popular when playing quirky, bizarre characters. Burton was the only one who could make this story successful and with Depp on board, that increased the must-see factor even more.
Not fairy tales, but there are at least FOUR studios developing projects based in one way or another on DRACULA.
Well, at least public domain classics have stories to work from, unlike, say, a lot of video or board games.
But Tim Burton’s Alice flick was a sequel by all accounts.
wow. originality percolates. way to go town!!!
I’m a Fleming fan but the logic doesn’t follow here. It veers from Burton’s ALICE to OZ to a theme park ride back to CINDERELLA.
One of these titles is Not Like the Others…
It’s ironic that Disney, a studio build on adapting public domain stories,over the last 20+ years lobbied in support for the last two revisions of American Copyright extentions!
Does Disney ever learn when it comes to ride-based films? Crap, whose idea was it in the first place? For every Pirates there’s a Bear Jamboree and a Haunted House. What’s next, the Tiki Bird Room?
-G.
Though how much of its success can really be attributed to 3-d, when it would’ve made most of that money, anyway?
so…. Disney is remaking their own films now? talk about originality.
btw, The Wizard of Oz and all of the rights to the Oz books are owned by Warner Bros. (who bought out all of the classic MGM catalogue) Tough luck trying to do that one, Disney.
The original WIZARD OF OZ book (and many of it’s many sequels)is in public domain.
Alice was not made in 3D. It was shot 2D, then digitally altered to FAKE 3D, like Clash of the Titans. And it sucked.