Fanning takes shot at 'Alice' adaptations
Fanning as 'Alice'
Aug 26, 2004
Dakota Fanning could soon be slipping on Alice's shoes and heading off to Lewis Carroll's magical Wonderland.
The young actress is close to a deal to topline her own potential franchise in adaptations of Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," adapted by Les Bohem for DreamWorks.
Bohem came up with the idea to adapt Carroll's classic novels and immediately pitched it to Steven Spielberg with Fanning in mind to play Alice. The trio worked together on Spielberg's miniseries "Taken" for Sci Fi Channel. Spielberg created the series, which Bohem wrote and in which Fanning starred.
But Bohem's history with Carroll's work goes deeper than just a quickie notion for a live-action remake. Bohem said his mother had "the premiere collection of Alice books in the United States. I grew up loving it and buried in it. My mother would collect any edition -- she even had one in Swahili. It was all there my whole life and so right in my face, but it never really occurred to me to think, 'How about a movie with Alice?' "
Bohem said he and his wife recently read both books -- "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass" -- to their 8-year-old son and that got him thinking about it again. "There have been cool versions of it before but never with the capabilities (we have today) to do the effects, and now, finally, there are ways to create a vision that does justice to Carroll's boundless imagination."
Carroll's characters in "Alice" -- the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, the Queen of Hearts, the Caterpillar and the famous White Rabbit -- have made it to the screen many times, most notably in the Walt Disney Co.'s animated 1951 film as well as a live-action version in 1933 from Paramount Pictures. More recently, Hallmark Entertainment and NBC teamed for a 1999 television special that featured Tina Majorino as Alice.
For DreamWorks' version, Bohem will adapt both books, which are in the public domain, for the big screen as separate features and plans to stick extremely close to Carroll's original work. "These are two great books with two fabulous stories," he said. "But most of the time, they get cobbled together, and we plan to stay faithful to the books and each story."
At the studio, the project is being shepherded by production executive Mark Sourian. Keith Addis and Nick Wechsler's Industry Entertainment, which manages both Bohem and Fanning, is producing.
The deal marks Fanning's second straight project for DreamWorks. She recently left for the South, where she is in training for her role opposite Kurt Russell in the studio's horse drama "The Dreamer" for helmer John Gatins and Tollin/Robbins Prods. Fanning is repped by Cindy Osbrink at her Osbrink Talent Agency, Industry Entertainment and attorney Steve Warren.
Bohem is repped by UTA and attorney Linda Lichter. As for his late mother's collection of Carroll books, Bohem said she donated it two years ago to Fresno State University, where it's soon to be on display.
Industry Entertainment is repped by attorney Bill Sobel.
The young actress is close to a deal to topline her own potential franchise in adaptations of Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," adapted by Les Bohem for DreamWorks.
Bohem came up with the idea to adapt Carroll's classic novels and immediately pitched it to Steven Spielberg with Fanning in mind to play Alice. The trio worked together on Spielberg's miniseries "Taken" for Sci Fi Channel. Spielberg created the series, which Bohem wrote and in which Fanning starred.
But Bohem's history with Carroll's work goes deeper than just a quickie notion for a live-action remake. Bohem said his mother had "the premiere collection of Alice books in the United States. I grew up loving it and buried in it. My mother would collect any edition -- she even had one in Swahili. It was all there my whole life and so right in my face, but it never really occurred to me to think, 'How about a movie with Alice?' "
Bohem said he and his wife recently read both books -- "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass" -- to their 8-year-old son and that got him thinking about it again. "There have been cool versions of it before but never with the capabilities (we have today) to do the effects, and now, finally, there are ways to create a vision that does justice to Carroll's boundless imagination."
Carroll's characters in "Alice" -- the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, the Queen of Hearts, the Caterpillar and the famous White Rabbit -- have made it to the screen many times, most notably in the Walt Disney Co.'s animated 1951 film as well as a live-action version in 1933 from Paramount Pictures. More recently, Hallmark Entertainment and NBC teamed for a 1999 television special that featured Tina Majorino as Alice.
For DreamWorks' version, Bohem will adapt both books, which are in the public domain, for the big screen as separate features and plans to stick extremely close to Carroll's original work. "These are two great books with two fabulous stories," he said. "But most of the time, they get cobbled together, and we plan to stay faithful to the books and each story."
At the studio, the project is being shepherded by production executive Mark Sourian. Keith Addis and Nick Wechsler's Industry Entertainment, which manages both Bohem and Fanning, is producing.
The deal marks Fanning's second straight project for DreamWorks. She recently left for the South, where she is in training for her role opposite Kurt Russell in the studio's horse drama "The Dreamer" for helmer John Gatins and Tollin/Robbins Prods. Fanning is repped by Cindy Osbrink at her Osbrink Talent Agency, Industry Entertainment and attorney Steve Warren.
Bohem is repped by UTA and attorney Linda Lichter. As for his late mother's collection of Carroll books, Bohem said she donated it two years ago to Fresno State University, where it's soon to be on display.
Industry Entertainment is repped by attorney Bill Sobel.
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