bit-gamer.net

Movie adaptation of Alice still in the works

Published on 28th January 2008 by Joe Martin

A movie adaptation of American McGee's Alice has been talked about for a long time, but has struggled to get off the ground.

Sarah Michelle Gellar, AKA Buffy The Vampire Slayer, has confirmed that she is still very eager to develop a movie adaptation of American McGee's Alice, the surreal platformer based on a twisted interpretation of Alice in Wonderland.

The game, which was developed by Rogue Entertainment and headed up by Doom and Quake alum American McGee, told a dark story of Alice returning to the fantasy world of Wonderland which, in this retelling, is an imaginary world where Alice must deal with her own fears and guilts in order to regain her sanity.

The game was very popular when it was released in 2000 thanks to a surreal level design which had Alice growing and shrinking throughout the game.

The movie adaptation of Alice has been on the cards for a long time, but has struggled to gather steam. Sarah Michelle Gellar, who owns the rights to the film adaptation, has called the project a passion of hers and once more declared how much she loves the game.

"I just thought [it] was the most weirdly beautiful game," Gellar told Sci-Fi Wire. "I finished it, which was a miracle. I had a lot of help. We got the rights to it, and Universal wound up getting really excited and put a lot of money into it, and then it's the usual story. There was a regime change."

"It's a story that I'd love to see. I'm fearful at this rate that I'm going to be the wicked Queen of Hearts because I'm going to be too old to be Alice," she added, calling the film 'the frustration of her life'.

Can movie adaptations of games ever work, or is ~~Buffy~~ Sarah Michelle Gellar just wasting her time? Let us know your thoughts in the forums.

17 Comments

Discuss in the forums Reply

outlawaol 28th January 2008, 10:33

never played this one, so it wouldnt matter to me... but I think they should make a Half Life movie.. that would rock so much...

:)

PQuiff 28th January 2008, 10:54

What a great game...very freaky.

It would make a smashing movie, if (like most things) it was done right. More Tim Burtons Batman that Arnold Scwartzengers Batman.

BioSniper 28th January 2008, 11:17

I also think that SMG would be the perfect person to play Alice, hopefully it will happen some day, if done right it could be great.

will. 28th January 2008, 11:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by outlawaol
but I think they should make a Half Life movie.. that would rock so much...

:)

No.

skpstr 28th January 2008, 11:27

Tim Burton would be an ideal candidate to make a movie based on this game. Having played it my one concern would be that it's dark undertones and outlandish violence (cutting card guards in half with a carving knife ftw) would be toned down for a wider appeal. It would have to be a 15 or higher to make the most of the content, but I can see them trying to aim it at 12+.

naokaji 28th January 2008, 11:37

dunno, but since its a rather old game they will prolly try to cater to the ones that can remember it, i.e. the ones that are adults by now anyway, so i dont think they have to tone it down. but maybe my logic is flawed somehow.

CardJoe 28th January 2008, 11:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by will.
No.

Only if Hugh Laurie is onboard.

C0nKer 28th January 2008, 12:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by CardJoe
Only if Hugh Laurie is onboard.

As Gordon Freeman or G-Man?

CardJoe 28th January 2008, 13:01

THEY ARE THE SAMEZ!!!!!1!1!1!MONKEY!11!1!

Blademrk 28th January 2008, 13:04

Nah, get Will Harris to do it, he looks more like Gordan...

UncertainGod 28th January 2008, 15:22

If Tim Burton did this film I could die happy.

Tangent : Sweeney Todd was superb.

cyrilthefish 28th January 2008, 16:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by outlawaol
never played this one, so it wouldnt matter to me...

Go play it! i only played it a few months ago myself, very annoyed i never played it when it first came out as the game is utterly brilliant

One of the few game settings/storylines that could really work as a film as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by outlawaol
but I think they should make a Half Life movie.. that would rock so much...

:)

Completely disagree there... Gordon not saying anything works fine as a game but not possible for a movie as it'd just look strange, you can't make Gordon speak either as it'd change everything from the HL games...

Faulk_Wulf 28th January 2008, 16:36

Well at least SMG knows how to act around monsters, supernatural, and green screen. After 7 years of Buffy and all. I've never really seen her in a role outside the Buffy verse. Cept the Grudge which scared the **** out of me so much I never even finished it and was too busy being scared to tell you whether or not she could act in the movie.

Never played Alice. But violence? Pffft. Rambo just came out. Alice might end up "R" (Eighteen and up only) but seriously. I don't think the violence will be frowned upon unless its Hostel-esque in its disgusting brutality.

Haven't seen Sweeny Todd, looks like Edward Scissorhands + Jack the Ripper + Crack. Doesn't look bad though.

Half-Life movie could work. But only if they did the one thing that would piss everyone off. Have it have nothing to do with Gordon Freeman.
It would be like an expansion pack, but instead of playing it, you watch it. Hell, have it follow Adrian Shepard so that I can find out if he
ever makes it out of that suspended universe that the G-Man put him in. I know none of the main characters talk when you play them,
but seriously-- Adrian totally rocked.

Also, looking back at a post, why does "F-T-W" translate to cheesecake? It makes for an amusing sentence:
"...cut the guards down with a knife cheesecake" (Which I thought was cheesecake knife at first.)
But unless it stands for F#%# the What on here, I always thought it stood for For The Win.

PS - Yes, get Tim Burton to direct it.

PPS - See "Across The Universe" ... NOW

steveo_mcg 28th January 2008, 17:12

See the Cheesecake definitions ~~spam trap~~ thread in General for your F_T_W ftw question.

http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=145457

<On Topic>

I never go to see movie adaptations of games they always seem so disappointing that i wish they would stop giving gaming a bad name.

Krikkit 28th January 2008, 17:52

It sounds like this one's in good hands - if SMG is as passionate as she says about the game she won't make a shoddy film.

Oh, and HL would not make a good film, if only because Gordon would have to speak.

Kipman725 28th January 2008, 17:52

would be an awsome film if they got the whole ambiance right it's a very creapy game.

Furymouse 29th January 2008, 05:28

Well Tim Burton is directing an alice movie. May not be based on the game, but I bet it will be just as creepy.

http://imdb.com/title/tt1142966/