Well, as it turns out, American McGee’s Alice is finally getting its own live-action TV series. Likely a rather horrific one (in a good way) based on the video game series. Not only that, but Ted Field’s Radar Pictures are taking it on to boot.

American McGee’s Alice: The TV Series!!!!!

"American McGee's Alice" box art, showing a very un-Disney-looking Alice wielding a bloody knife alongside a Cheshire Cat you really don't want to pet.
Not the Disney film, that’s for sure. The spikes, blood, and demonic Cheshire Cat might’ve given that away for you all.

The Hollywood Reporter (and a very excited American McGee himself on Twitter) has just reported that Ted Field and his Radar Pictures company have just nabbed the TV rights for the video game American McGee’s Alice. Even better, Field has attached David Hayter to write for the TV adaptation. Considering that Hayer wrote for X-Men and Watchmen, and co-wrote X2, I think it’s safe to say that we’re going to get some quality writing for this TV adaptation of American McGee’s dark twist on Alice in Wonderland.

“American McGee’s Alice and Alice: Madness Returns game series is a groundbreaking reimagining of the classic tale. 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

Unfortunately, the production of American McGee’s Alice is so new that we don’t have much info beyond that. No news of which streaming service will broadcast it or anything. Heck, we don’t even have a release window for you. That’s just something we’ll have to wait for. At the very least though, we can be sure that American McGee himself will keep us appraised of the production on social media.

A Dark Alice In Wonderland On TV?????

Now this will be an Alice that won’t be doing any singing. Not unless it’s a song of madness.

While we have no official details about this TV adaptation of American McGee’s Alice, we can speculate based on the plot of the video game series. Indeed, if it’s faithful to the games, then we can be sure of a very dark version of Alice in Wonderland. In fact, The Hollywood Reporter gives us this synopsis for the TV adaptation as a teaser:

“The TV adaptation will begin after Alice returns from the trip the Looking-Glass, her house is burnt down and her parents have died in the fire. Alice is the only survivor of the terrible accident. After repeated attempts at suicide, she gets locked up inside a mental institution and is slowly wasting away there before she is summoned to Wonderland again by the White Rabbit.

But this time it’s a Wonderland gone seriously bad and gory. The only chance for Alice to restore her peace of mind and find out more about the death of her parents is to fight through Wonderland and free it from the evil powers.”

Based on this synopsis, the TV series will be a blend of the first game and the second: Alice: Madness Returns. It makes you wonder if the games’ plot will the TV series use. Will they use more of the games’ plots, or will they come up with something more original? Heck, will Dr. Bumby make an appearance for this TV series? In any case, this seems like a dark fantasy series to keep an eye on. For fans of Alice in Wonderland, or non-fans alike.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Twitter