Alice In Wonderland
This week sees Johnny Depp reunite with visionary filmmaker Tim Burton for his take on Alice In Wonderland.
Depp's partnership with Burton began way back in 1990 with gothic fairytale Edward Scissorhands.The pairing has gone on to become one of Hollywood's best relationships spanning almost twenty years and seven movies.
Edward Scissorhands follows Peg, an Avon lady, encounters a shy young man called Edward when she is doing her Avon round in the neighbourhood.
The man, who was living in a decaying mansion and appears to have scissors for hands, is adopted into Peg's typical all American family.
Burton's casting of Depp in Scissorhands proved to be the young actor's breakthrough performance and kicked off his fascination with off the wall loner characters, for which he has become famous.
The movie was Burton's chance to return to the small budget movies after the success of Batman and it was an opportunity for Depp to shed the pin up status that he was uncomfortable with.
The movie was met well by the critics and remains one of the pair's best movies.
They teamed up again four years later to tell the story of Ed Wood, often labelled as one of the worst directors. The film concentrated on the 1950s, the best known period in his life when he made 'Glen or Glenda' and 'Bride of the Monster'.
Despite being a critical success Ed Wood was the poorest performing picture of the Depp/Burton collaboration.
Third film Sleepy Hollow followed in 1999 and it was, at the time, Johnny Depp's most successful movie.
Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp) is a squeamish, bookish 18th century New York City investigator sent to a small town in lower Westchester county to look into three mysterious decapitations.
When the always rational Crane arrives at the little Dutch village, he finds that most of the townsfolk believe the culprit to be the Headless Horseman, the ghost of a monstrous Hessian soldier (Christopher Walken), who seems to be mysteriously tied in to one of the town's most prominent families.
The film grossed over $200 million worldwide, despite being criticised for the amount of violence and bloodshed.
Burton/Depp fans would have to wait until 2005 before the pair reunited again this time for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
By this time Depp had enjoyed success with the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and had become one of the most bankable movie stars.
Since 1999 Burton had dabbled with the big budget blockbuster with Planet of the Apes before returning to his off beat roots with Big Fish.
Based on the novel by children's writer Roald Dahl Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, released in 2005, was the fourth collaboration between Johnny Depp and Tim Burton.
Depp took on the role as the greatest chocolatier in the world this role also carried on the theme of being a loner set by Depp all those years ago in Edward Scissorhands.
Willy Wonka announces that five golden tickets have been placed in five Wonka bars worldwide. Whoever finds the golden ticket will be given a tour of Wonka's factory which has been closed for years.
Augustus Gloop, Violet Beauregarde, Mike Teavee, Veruca Salt and Charlie Bucket are all welcomed into the factory by the eccentric Willy Wonka.
The film was a major success at the box office with much of that contributed to Depp's bizarre interpretation of the socially stunted Wonka.
Corpse Bride came in quick succession and Burton returned to his stop motion animation beginnings.
The last time we saw the pair work together came in 2008 with their most outrageous project to date Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street as a musical.
Benjamin Barker is a simple barber with a beautiful wife and child. But he is falsely imprisoned by Judge Turpin who has an eye on Barker's wife.
Fifteen years later Barker returns to London under the guise of Sweeney Todd. Recognised by pie maker Mrs Lovett Todd is informed that he wife is dead and his now teenage daughter is Judge Turpin's ward.
Together they devise a plan of revenge, with Todd practicing his murderous barbering skills on an unsuspecting general public, with the remains made into meat pie filling by Mrs Lovett.
On paper this movie should not work a tale of betrayal, murder, revenge and passion all set to Stephen Sondheim's music, with lead actors who have never sung before, is a concept that Ed Wood would have come up with.
But the film stormed the box office and Depp was recognised with a Best Actor Oscar nomination as well as winning a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical.
It's been two years since we have been able to enjoy their slightly unorthodox filmmaking but this week sees them return with Alice In Wonderland.
It comes as no surprise that Depp is taking on the role as the Mad Hatter as he leads an impressive cast of Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Michael Sheen, Christopher Lee, Matt Lucas and Alan Rickman.
As you might expect the story is not the one that we are used to as Burton moves time forward and Alice in now 19 years old.
Set to be released in 3D Alice In Wonderland is already surrounded in hype and excitement and looks set to dominate the box office over the next few weeks.
Over the years the pair have become one of the most successful director/actor collaborations with all except Ed Wood enjoying major box office success.
Alice In Wonderland is released 5th March.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Tagged in Johnny Depp Tim Burton