Tim Burton is one of the most stylistically distinct filmmakers of all time, with dozens of cult films in his filmography, but for all his talent, one of his movies was much more commercially successful than any other, Alice in Wonderland. Burton has been making films for Hollywood since the 1980s, but many of his movies have found their niche with a dedicated audience who love his uniquely quirky and gothic aesthetic. His work has also been critically acclaimed, nominated for two Oscars, and won dozens of other awards.
However, Burton’s style has also gone underappreciated by the public, with some of his movies being branded as too weird. His particular style can be an acquired taste, but when it comes to projects like Wednesday on Netflix or 2010s Alice in Wonderland, Burton’s style aligns perfectly with the source material, and people fall deeply in love with it. This resulted in movies like Alice in Wonderland earning over $1 billion and far exceeding the box office of his other projects (via The Numbers).
8 Alice In Wonderland Is A Disney Movie
Disney Is The Most Powerful Studio In The Industry
Disney may have owned fewer other film studios when Alice in Wonderland was released in 2010, but since the early days of the company, it has led the way in Hollywood with many of the most successful movies of all time. Having the pulling power of Disney behind him, Burton was able to achieve greater success than ever before. Earlier in life, Burton had worked for Disney as an animator from 1981 to 1984, but the studio fired him after seeing a short movie he created which they believed was too scary for their audience (via Screen Rant).
Burton spent the next few decades making movies for companies like Warner Brothers, another large production company, but they didn’t come close to the success of Disney. Fortunately, Burton made a name for himself and got Disney’s attention, and when it came time to find a director for the weird and wacky world of Wonderland to be made in live-action, Burton was perfect for the job. Working with his friend Johnny Depp, who had also formed a relationship with Disney through his role as Captain Jack, Burton proved how valuable he was with the success of Alice in Wonderland.
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7 Based On A Classic Children’s Novel
Lewis Carroll’s Classic Novel
Lewis Carroll released Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in 1865, and since that time, the story has become popular all around the world. In 1903, the story received its first adaptation as a silent film titled Alice in Wonderland. Before that, it had already been adapted as a stage show, and in the following decades, the story’s popularity only grew further. In 1951, it was adapted as an animated children’s story by Disney, which became incredibly popular and made many of the characters household names.
As a result of the story reaching a wider and larger audience, it became a classic children’s tale that continued to be read in homes, studied in schools and colleges, and became a part of the zeitgeist from that moment on. As a result, the movie being remade in 2010 immediately resonated and grabbed the attention of people of all ages. The familiarity of the story and excitement of seeing it adapted once again was an easy sell for people who were looking for something to see in the theaters.
6 Suitable For All Ages
Alice In Wonderland Is Nostalgic Across Generations
Another aspect of the story’s age and longevity meant that it was appealing to a wide range of people from different age groups. The story was older than any living person and had multiple adaptations that people could have been familiar with, from the books to the Disney animated movies and parodies which kept it in the public eye. This attracted different demographics to the project and resulted in higher ticket sales than anything else Burton had ever worked on.
5 Live-Action Remakes Were A Novelty
And They Had Proven Financially Successful
Disney has gone on to create several more live-action remakes since Alice in Wonderland was released, but when it came out in 2010, Disney had only done this a few times. There was a 1994 adaptation of The Jungle Book which went under the radar and was not made by Disney, then in 1996 and 2000, Disney created a live-action adaptation of One Hundred and One Dalmatians and a sequel. So when Alice in Wonderland was adapted for live-action, it appeared to be a completely novel idea in 2010.
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4 Tim Burton’s Style Matched Alice In Wonderland
The Quirky And Gothic Style Fits Perfectly with Alice In Wonderland
Tim Burton is famous for his signature dark style, sense of humor, gothic visuals, and weird creations. This was something that was perfectly suited to the dark and weird parts of the story that make up the magical world of Wonderland. A queen with a massive head, a giant talking caterpillar who smokes a pipe, and a broad grinning cat all sound like elements that would be perfectly normal in a Burton movie. As a result, hiring Burton as the director for the project was the best way to make the story feels authentically like the equally wacky source material.
3 Tim Burton And Disney Are Ideal Collaborators
The Perfect Cross Between Burton’s Innovative Designs And Disney’s Imagination
Despite the strained relationship that existed between Disney and Burton after he was fired, his films and style are actually perfect for Disney. Iconic movies like The Nightmare Before Christmas are the result of collaborations between Burton and Disney, but when the film was made, they had already parted ways, and the story was given to Henry Selick to direct. The Disney magic goes perfectly with Burton’s darker tones, and together, they make some of the most interesting, complex, and layered stories for younger audiences to enjoy.
2 Johnny Depp As The Mad Hatter
Johnny Depp At The Height Of His Disney Popularity
Johnny Depp and Tim Burton had already worked together closely on several projects throughout the decades before Alice in Wonderland. Films like Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, and Sleepy Hollow saw the pair working together and developing a strong rapport. In addition, Depp was at the peak of his popularity, having starred in Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean series as the iconic Captain Jack Sparrow. Having the pair work together and create a new Disney project was the perfect storm for success, and Depp’s ability to play unusual characters was ideal for the role of the Mad Hatter.
1 Tim Burton’s Return
Burton Was In A Creative Slump
Burton had hit his stride in the 80s and 90s working on projects that launched his career. However, in the 2000s, Burton’s films didn’t connect as they did in previous years, aside from cult classics like Big Fish and Corpse Bride, which both enjoyed modest success. In the three years before the release of Alice in Wonderland, Burton did not direct any other projects, and so, when the movie was released, it was a triumphant return for Burton. As a result, Alice in Wonderland rocketed to become Burton’s most successful project of all time and remains so to this day.
