Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was originally published in 1865. The nonsensical tale has remained so popular that it has never been out of print and has been translated into over 97 languages. Carroll’s whimsical tale has influenced nearly every facet of pop culture over its 150+ year lifespan. The story’s influence reaches far and wide. Film retellings began as early as 1903. From there, dozens of films and TV versions followed. Hundreds more retellings exist in literature — more if we count mentions, references, and subtle homages. Let’s not even try to talk about art and music. AIW permeates pop culture around the world. Thus, I am resigned to the fact that my paltry little list will likely anger the fandom and perhaps Lewis Carroll will haunt me the rest of my days. (I’m warning you now that Tim Burton’s adaptation isn’t on this list. While I loved the visuals and many of the characters, Alice was just so darn awful in his version that I can’t include it. Don’t get me started on Helena Bonham Carter’s Red Queen. UGH! Are you mad at me already?) Without further ado, here are my picks for the best Alice in Wonderland adaptations, ranked. Please don’t @ me. If I’m being honest, writing this piece made me aware of how few Alice in Wonderland adaptations I’ve actually read/watched. Perhaps I’ll revisit this post in a few years and redeem myself. Until then, I’ll be hanging out with the angry ghost of Lewis Carroll. For even more adaptations ranked, check out our tier ranking of book-to-movie adaptations and our ranking of Pride and Prejudice adaptations.
