James Bobin may direct 'Alice in Wonderland' sequel

After Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland made over $1B for Disney three years ago, it was expected that a sequel would be ordered up as soon as possible. But that didn't happen, with the studio waiting until last December to finally get moving, bringing back Linda Woolverton to begin penning the sequel, titled Into the Looking Glass. With Burton out of the picture, Disney may be looking to James Bobin to take over.

Bobin's proven to Disney he can reboot long dormant franchises by helming the The Muppets and its upcoming sequel, The Muppets....Again!  Johnny Depp is expected to return as the Mad Hatter, his schedule freshly opened up after dropping out of the Whitey Bulger film, Black Mass. It's unclear whether other big names, such as Mia Wasikowska and Anne Hathaway, will reprise their roles. Discussions with Bobin are said to be at an early stage right now, but their recent working history should be a major factor in the negotiations.

Add this to Disney's run of live-action adaptations of fantasy hits, which includes Cinderella, Maleficent, and the recent Oz the Great and Powerful. [Variety]