Lewis Carroll’s classic novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has captivated readers for over 150 years with its imaginative story of a young girl who falls down a rabbit hole into a surreal world. The tale has inspired countless film adaptations, from Disney’s beloved 1951 animated version to Tim Burton’s trippy live-action blockbusters.
If you adore Alice’s mind-bending journey and are looking for more movies that will transport you to marvelous make-believe realms, look no further. Here are 15 fantastic films to watch next.
1. Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)
Oz the Great and Powerful serves as an unofficial prequel to the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz. The story follows Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician who is whisked away in a hot air balloon to the vibrant Land of Oz. There, he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz), and Glinda (Michelle Williams), and is drawn into an epic power struggle.
Like Alice in Wonderland, the film brings a familiar storybook world to life with dazzling visuals and a sense of wonder. The colorful characters and magical setting make Oz the Great and Powerful a delightful adventure for the whole family.
2. Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019)
In this sequel to 2014’s Maleficent, Angelina Jolie returns as the misunderstood fairy who cursed Princess Aurora in the original Sleeping Beauty. Mistress of Evil expands the fantasy realm with exciting new locales and creatures.
As Aurora plans to wed Prince Philip, Maleficent clashes with his mother, Queen Ingrith (Michelle Pfeiffer), resulting in a battle between the magical Moors and the human kingdom. With its strong female characters, stunning costumes and production design, and themes of family and acceptance, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil casts a captivating spell.
3. Peter Pan (2003)
Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan are two of the most beloved children’s stories of all time. The boy who wouldn’t grow up gets the live-action treatment in this 2003 film from director P.J. Hogan.
The movie faithfully adapts J.M. Barrie’s tale of the Darling children’s adventures in the magical world of Neverland. From encounters with mermaids and fairies to epic sword fights with the villainous Captain Hook, Peter Pan is filled with thrilling moments. Jason Isaacs is particularly memorable pulling double duty as Mr. Darling and Hook. Let this film whisk you away to a place where you never have to grow up.
4. Alice (2009)
For a very different take on the Alice in Wonderland story, check out this eerie stop-motion film from director Jan Švankmajer. Blending live action with animation, the movie follows a young girl named Alice who journeys into a dark and twisted Wonderland filled with bizarre inhabitants.
Alice reimagines classic characters like the White Rabbit, Mad Hatter and Cheshire Cat in unsettling ways. The surreal visuals and haunting tone make it more of a nightmarish film than a whimsical fantasy. It may be too intense and creepy for kids, but teens and adults looking for a thought-provoking Alice adaptation will find much to admire.
5. Maleficent (2014)
Angelina Jolie is magnificent as one of Disney’s most iconic villains in this live-action retelling of Sleeping Beauty from the perspective of the evil fairy Maleficent. The film explores her tragic backstory and how she came to curse the infant Princess Aurora to prick her finger on a spinning wheel on her 16th birthday.
Like Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent boasts spectacular visuals that immerse you in an enchanting fantasy world of fairies, magical creatures and a foreboding castle. But the film’s greatest strength is how it reimagines a classic tale and finds the humanity in a character that was once just a one-dimensional villain. Jolie’s complex portrayal makes us see Maleficent in a whole new light.
6. Spirited Away (2001)
Spirited Away is a breathtaking animated masterpiece from legendary Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki. The story centers on 10-year-old Chihiro, who is moving to a new home with her parents when they stumble upon a mysterious abandoned amusement park. After her parents are turned into pigs, Chihiro discovers the park is a resort for supernatural beings and must navigate this strange spirit world to find a way to free herself and her family.
Like Alice in Wonderland, Spirited Away transports us to a weird and wondrous land that operates on dream logic. The hand-drawn animation is overflowing with inventive sights, from the massive bathhouse of the spirits to the colorful assortment of gods and monsters. An Alice for a new generation, Chihiro is a brave and clever heroine who must rely on her wits and heart to overcome the obstacles in her path. Spirited Away is a true triumph of imagination.
7. Coraline (2009)
Based on Neil Gaiman’s novel, Coraline is a dazzling stop-motion film that echoes Alice in Wonderland in many ways. Dissatisfied with her busy parents and boring life, young Coraline Jones (voiced by Dakota Fanning) discovers a secret door in her new house. It leads to a parallel world where her attentive Other Mother and Other Father dote on her endlessly.
At first this other world seems like a dream come true, but Coraline soon realizes that this alternate reality, where everyone has buttons for eyes, is more of a nightmare. With its eerie visuals, dark fairy tale storyline and strong female protagonist, Coraline is a memorable and magical film about appreciating what you have.
8. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Based on Roald Dahl’s beloved novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this musical fantasy follows young Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum) and four other children as they tour the wondrous world of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. Like Alice falling down the rabbit hole, the factory is a gateway to a land of pure imagination.
Gene Wilder’s iconic performance as the eccentric candymaker Wonka is a delight, as he guides the children through a factory filled with chocolate rivers, egg-laying geese, fizzy lifting drinks and those memorable orange-faced, green-haired Oompa Loompas. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is a sweet, joyous ode to the powers of imagination and the magic of childhood.
9. The Cat Returns (2002)
From the legendary Studio Ghibli, The Cat Returns is a standalone spin-off of 1995’s Whisper of the Heart. The animated fantasy follows Haru, a shy high school student who rescues a cat from being hit by a truck. She soon discovers the cat is actually Lune, Prince of the Cat Kingdom.
In gratitude, the Cat King invites Haru to his magical feline realm, where she begins transforming into a cat herself. To return to the human world, Haru seeks help from the dapper Baron Humbert von Gikkingen and Muta, a tough-talking alley cat. The Cat Returns is a funny, heartfelt adventure that celebrates the joys of being different. Its lush animation and charming characters are sure to leave you grinning like a Cheshire Cat.
10. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016)
From visionary director Tim Burton, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children tells the story of Jake (Asa Butterfield), a teenager who travels to a mysterious island off the coast of Wales. There he discovers an abandoned orphanage that was once home to children with extraordinary abilities, such as a girl who can float and an invisible boy.
As Jake explores the ruins and learns about the “peculiars” from their headmistress Miss Peregrine (Eva Green), he uncovers a secret world and a threat that could destroy it. Like Alice in Wonderland, the film has a unique visual style and a gallery of quirky characters. It’s a thrilling fantasy that celebrates being proud of what makes you unique.
11. The Golden Compass (2007)
Based on the first book in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, The Golden Compass is set in an alternate world where human souls exist outside the body in animal form, called daemons. Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) is an orphan being raised at Jordan College in Oxford. When her uncle, the explorer Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig), embarks on a secret mission to the Far North, Lyra and her daemon Pan set out to find him.
Lyra’s quest leads her to cross paths with flying witches, armored polar bears and a group known as the Gobblers, who have been kidnapping children for a nefarious purpose. Like Alice, Lyra is a curious heroine who must navigate a dangerous and fantastical world. The Golden Compass features stunning visuals and an epic scope as it wrestles with themes of theology, physics and philosophy.
12. Big Fish (2003)
Tim Burton puts his signature whimsical touch on this heartwarming story about a son trying to unravel the truth behind his dying father’s tall tales. Will Bloom (Billy Crudup) returns home to reconcile with his dad Edward (Albert Finney), who has always been a master storyteller prone to exaggeration. As Edward recounts his life story, the film flashes back to his younger self (played by Ewan McGregor) and a series of magical adventures.
From a giant named Karl to a witch with a glass eye, Edward’s anecdotes are populated by fairy tale figures and events that seem too fantastic to be true. Like Alice in Wonderland, Big Fish seamlessly blends reality and fantasy, leaving you wondering if the tales actually happened or are simply a product of Edward’s imagination. At its core, the film is a moving story about the power of storytelling and the unbreakable bond between father and son.
13. Jumanji (1995)
Jumanji stars Robin Williams as Alan Parrish, a man who has been trapped inside a magical board game for 26 years. When two young siblings, Judy (Kirsten Dunst) and Peter (Bradley Pierce), find the game and begin playing, they release Alan…and a host of dangers that can only be stopped by finishing the game.
From mischievous monkeys and stampeding rhinos to a hunter named Van Pelt who wants to mount Alan’s head on his wall, the jungle-themed horrors of Jumanji turn the kids’ house and town upside down. The film has a clever premise, thrilling set pieces and plenty of humor thanks to Williams’ energetic performance. Jumanji is an exciting adventure that transports the wonder and peril of a fantastical world into our own.
14. Come Away (2020)
Come Away reimagines the origin stories of Alice from Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan from Peter and Wendy by making them siblings in the same family. In 1800s England, Alice (Keira Chansa) and Peter (Jordan A. Nash) let their imaginations run wild, dreaming up Wonderland and Neverland to escape the harsh realities of their lives.
Angelina Jolie and David Oyelowo star as their parents, who are struggling to keep the family together in the face of tragedy. As Alice and Peter craft their fantasy worlds, the film includes clever nods to memorable elements from both classic stories, from the Mad Hatter to Captain Hook. Come Away is a unique and emotionally powerful film about how children use imagination to cope with grief and grow up.
15. Resident Evil (2002)
The Resident Evil film franchise, loosely based on the popular video game series, follows Alice (Milla Jovovich), a security specialist who battles the evil Umbrella Corporation as it unleashes zombies and monsters created by a virus. The first film, Resident Evil, is filled with references to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
When Alice wakes up with no memory of who she is, she finds herself in a surreal underground research facility filled with deadly creatures, an artificial intelligence called the Red Queen, and a team of commandos who have to solve a series of traps and puzzles to escape. As Alice ventures deeper into the Hive, the film includes sly references to the Jabberwocky, the Red Queen’s propensity for beheading, and even Alice’s name itself. Resident Evil is an action-packed sci-fi thriller that will delight fans of both the games and Alice in Wonderland.
From the colorful marvels of Oz the Great and Powerful to the creepy stop-motion world of Coraline, these 15 films are perfect for anyone who loves Alice in Wonderland and yearns to get lost in a great fantasy story. Whether you’re a fan of the original Lewis Carroll novel or the many movie versions, these enchanting films prove that there are always new cinematic rabbit holes for us to fall down.
So the next time you’re in the mood to go on an adventure in a land of wonder, give one of these transporting tales a watch. You never know where it might lead you.
