Pop star Sabrina Carpenter to lead Universal’s musical inspired by ‘Alice in Wonderland’

Pop star Sabrina Carpenter is set to headline her first major studio film with a new musical inspired by Lewis Carroll’s classic novel “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”.

Universal Pictures has greenlit the untitled project, which will be written and directed by filmmaker Lorene Scafaria, known for “Hustlers” and “The Meddler”, reported Variety.

In addition to starring in the project, Carpenter will also produce alongside Marc Platt through his Universal-based banner Marc Platt Productions. Leslie Morgenstein and Elysa Koplovitz Dutton will produce through Alloy Entertainment.

Carpenter previously appeared in Netflix films such as “Tall Girl” and “The Hate U Give” but has been focusing on her music career in recent years. Last week, she earned six Grammy nominations for her seventh studio album “Man’s Best Friend,” including nods for Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year.

Sources close to the development told Variety that Carpenter first brought the concept to Universal in 2024, and Scafaria joined the project as writer and director as it took shape.

Scafaria most recently directed HBO’s “I Love L.A.” and episodes of the Emmy-winning series “Succession”. Her 2019 hit “Hustlers”, starring Jennifer Lopez, grossed over USD 100 million at the North American box office.

Interestingly, Netflix had previously acquired a musical adaptation of “Alice in Wonderland” from Carpenter’s At Last Productions in 2020, but the project did not move forward.

The 1865 novel has been a timeless source of inspiration for filmmakers, artists and musicians across generations.

The fantastical tale of a young girl’s journey through a surreal, dreamlike world populated by eccentric characters has seen multiple film and television adaptations — from Walt Disney’s beloved 1951 animated classic to Tim Burton’s 2010 live-action reimagination starring Mia Wasikowska and Johnny Depp.