Johnny Depp Goes Mad for Tim Burton

It's a "merry merry unbirthday" for Johnny Depp fans as the actor will once again be teaming up with Tim Burton for Alice in Wonderland, reports Reuters.com.

Casting announcements were made Wednesday by Disney, and who better to wear a top and have a mad tea party than Depp as the Mad Hatter?

He was pretty much picked for the role as soon as Burton said yes to do the updated live action/CG-animated movie of the beloved children's tale based on the Lewis Carroll novel.

During the presentation, the studio also made the announcement that a fourth movie in the extremely popular "Pirates of the Caribbean" saga is in the works.

This will mean a busy schedule for Depp who is also going to portray Tonto in The Lone Ranger, that's also being produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.

Further announcements in the casting for the new Alice are some of HBO's up-and-coming stars.

Australian born Mia Wasikowska, who is known from In Treatment, will play the ever-curious, young Alice.

And fresh off of sketch comedy Little Britain USA's upcoming Sunday debut, Matt Lucas will play hyperactive Tweedledee and Tweedledum.

According to www.IMDb.com, Alice is still in pre-production, and the film is not set to be out until March of 2010.

That puts the film well over a year away, but I'm certain that eager fans can hold onto their Cheshire cat smiles until then.