Back in 2003, Johnny Depp famously panicked Disney executives with his whacked-out turn as Pirates of the Caribbean‘s Captain Jack Sparrow — only to have the character become an instant icon. For the upcoming 3-D Alice in Wonderland, opening March 5, Depp decided to dive even further down the rabbit hole with an orange-haired, green-eyed, nonsense-spouting take on Lewis Carroll’s Mad Hatter. Alice is Depp’s seventh collaboration with director Tim Burton, and anyone who’s seen the other films they’ve made together — including Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — knows they share a taste for, as Depp puts it, “the slightly left of center.” Still, with this gonzo turn as the Hatter, Depp braced himself for a full-blown freakout in Disney’s executive suites. “When we first went in to do the camera tests, I was thinking, ‘They’re going to lose their minds,’” Depp recalls. “But Tim fully supported it. It was a couple of solid hours in the makeup chair everyday but it really helped. You start to understand who the guy is through all that weird kind of Carrot Top kabuki.”
Alice marks Depp’s first foray into the brave new world of 3-D filmmaking, but the actor (who admits he still hasn’t seen Avatar) says he won’t be able to fully appreciate that extra dimension. “I’m actually unable to see 3-D,” he says. “I’ve got a weird thing where I don’t see properly out of my left eye, so I truly can’t see 3-D.” Then again, he never likes watching himself onscreen anyway. “So I have an excuse this time,” he says, laughing.
For more on Alice in Wonderland, plus an exclusive interview with Johnny Depp and Tim Burton about their 20-year partnership, pick up the new issue of Entertainment Weekly, on stands February 26th.
He looks exactly like Elijah Wood.
Thank you! I’ve been saying the same thing for months (since the first pics/trailer came out) and my husband told me I was crazy! Redemption from Moe!
Lool, have I been bad?
Ditto on the saying it for months. I completely thought Elijah was in the movie until I saw the teases. Almost eerie how much they look alike like this!
I don’t really see it.
Wow he really does. Do they look alike when Johnny isn’t wearing all this makeup? I’ve never noticed a resemblance between them before.
I’ve never thought so. It’s the makeup.
Before I knew it was Johnny, I thought it was indeed Elijah Wood.
When the first still was released, I thought Elijah was the Mad Hatter. Could have saved the hours of makeup and just cast him. LOL
i’ve always thought he looked like madonna.
Agreed
I’m so glad to hear somebody else thinks so too! He looks like Madonna…but more feminine!
It’s the facial structure and gap in the teeth. Wait, no, it’s the eyes. heh
THAT’s it! I was wondering who he looked liked; just couldn’t place it. Thanks!
My mom, for the longest time, thought the mad hatter actually WAS Elijah Wood! hahah!
he does too! it’s creepy.
i think its just cause depp, in this picture is actually cgi edited.
Can you say “horny” because that’s what I feel looking at this picture.
cute
I believe the correct term is engorged
What’s up with the freaky Sweeney Todd hands?
His hands look like a hat maker’s hands from the time period -
Tim Burton is a hack.
Tim Burton is an amazingly talented filmmaker.
I won’t be going to see “Alice in Wonderland”, too dark for me…almost like a Stephen King movie…Just watching the movie trailer makes me jump, LOL…
I don’t think I can see it either, mainly because I cannot handle Lewis Carroll AT ALL. First, the absurdist writing annoys me more than I can express, and then there’s the icky feeling that I get when I hear those rumors that he was a drug addict in love with the little girl (I know that there’s no proof of any wrong-doing, but it still grosses me out…)
Wow, wait ’til you hear about the author of Peter Pan.
Single most moronic thing I’ve seen today.
It’s dark because the BOOK is dark! The disney cartoon version is NOT like the book.
Thank you! I have been trying to tell people that ever since they announced that Tim Burton was going to do the filem. i am ecstatic that it should get the proper telling it deserves.
Thank you! That’s what I’ve been trying to tell people too.
If you’re a true fan of Carroll’s original (absolutely no offense or ill wishes toward the film — I can’t wait to see it
you should check out the book ‘Alice in Verse: The Lost Rhymes of Wonderland’ — absolutely brilliant!
How could he not like watching himself on screen? Dear lord, I could spend the rest of my life looking at that man. Normal, bizarre.. it all looks good to me!
Totally agree. Like I said after Sweeney Todd, “It’s impossible to make him not hot”.
I am so sick of that same picture of the Mad Hatter.
Can’t EW do something more original?
Original is far more expensive.
i was thinking the same thing! we’ve seen the same pic for months already
Well, they could have run their 3rd straight “Lost” cover in as many weeks – would that be better?
Yeah, that would’ve been better.
They haven’t been original for years. It would’ve been amazing if they had had a picture that included all the character and the world. But that would have taken too much work. I love Johnny Depp, so I can deal with this.
well no cuz they ahve to
DITTO!
Savvy!
This picture creeps me out.
I haven’t seen Avatar either and I don’t plan to. Yay, I have something in common with JD!
I love Johnny Depp and think Tim Burton is a whacked out genius. I can’t see this movie becaues this picture is really creepy, I hate 3-D movies and want them to go away and I hated the first movie. I hope it does really well though.
wow- thats a full run-on sentence of contradictions
How is it a contradiction? What I said wasn’t hard to understand. If you’re going to be the grammar police make sure you can back it up.
Well I was questioning what the I hated the first movie meant..do you mean the Disney cartoon?
I am definitely on the grammar police squad, but I hate RUDE more. However, if you really want to know what is structurally “wrong” with your comment it is the I love them, I hate them, I want 3D movies to go away, I want this one to do well. It is like you are suffering from rapidly cycling bipolar disorder. And no, we’re not sure what the “first one” means. I can think of at least ten Alice in Wonderland interpreations just from the past 20 years and that is just offhand. However, these things are nothing to keep you up at night, are they?
What first movie?
There’s other Alice in Wonderland movies out there. I think one might have been a miniseries though.
I dont know- Marylynn is obviously the only one that understands what she wrote…
I’m not sure how you would also not understand that there are other Alice in Wonderland movies. That again was a rather staight foward sentence.
you hate 3D movies and you want them to go away but you hope it does really well… if it does really well, do you think 3D will go away?????????????????????
Gee if I love Johnny Depp and Tim Burton obviously I would want their movie to do well. I don’t want to see every single movie they make together just because I’m a fan of them. I hope I spelled this out enough for you to understand it.
Personally, I have to say that Marylynn actually said something very honest and real. There are movies I don’t want to see, but I wish them well because I like the people in it. I’m looking forward to seeing what Tim Burton and Johnny Depp do with Lewis Carroll, but at least one person in this thread gets what you’re saying, Marylynn. It’s totally legitimate.
Thanks Natalie! There only seems to be one person who is confused.
Is it me or what? But, everytime I see Johnny Depp as the madhatter I can not stop thinking that he looks like Madonna…
He does look like Madonna and Elijah Wood.
Loves it!
Looks like Frodo in drag.
Oh my. Madonna was my first thought as well. That’s hysterical. I didn’t see the Elijah similarity until someone else mentioned it.
This one’s going face down on the ol’ coffee table…this is the stuff nightmares are made of.
LOL! This is the stuff that gets the pimp spot on my coffee table… much to the annoyance of my SO.
I think I like your SO.
My beloved Sandman statues were shoved in the back of a closet years ago. Sigh.
My SO has suffered similarly. As I tell him, “storage keeps your treasures safe, dear”.
Haha! Meanie.
aw crisp- those poor sandman statues are feeling lonely… if you were my SO theyd be on the shelf below my Lord of the Rings shrine.
I am picturing paige and crispy’ geek-tastic love nest…lotta lighted curio cabinets, crammed to the brim, a la Steve Carell’s place in the 40 Year Old Virgin.
Awww, you’d be so happy together…except for one minor detail…heh
Ha, Ambient-
paige to crispy: “Do you want me to dress up like Thor? I’ll dress up like Thor! I’ll dress up like Iron Man! What do they do? I’ll do it!”
Haha, ya’ll laugh. But I’m sure paige and I would have a wonderful comic book shop/computer game palace together.
i am dressing like a hobbit Ms. Marvel with a big daddy drill (cause im soo kinky)… oh crispy how happy we would be… until the next madonna album drops and i drop you… mmm Iron Thor… you gotta have Cap’s shield too…
What’s a SO?
Peg-
SO = significant other