If you had “Metal Gear voice actor writing an Alice in Wonderland TV series” on your 2022 bingo card, give yourself a pat on the back. Solid Snake voice actor David Hayter is writing and producing a show based on the Alice series developed by American McGee. But this combination isn’t as arbitrary as it initially sounds. Hayter has a few TV and film adaptation credits, and American McGee’s Alice is a dark video game take on Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland books.
The first game, entitled American McGee’s Alice, arrived in 2000. A sequel, Alice: Madness Returns, eventually followed in 2011. American McGee (born in Texas so the name checks out) has a third game in development, Alice: Asylum, which is being made through Patreon funding and input through a concept he calls Crowd Design. The series focuses on Carroll’s Alice navigating a version of Wonderland twisted and warped by her stay in a psychiatric asylum.
This isn’t the first time Hollywood has attempted to adapt the game series for the screen. Back in 2012 horror icon Wes Craven himself signed on to direct a Dimension Films adaptation. However, the project fell through after languishing in development hell. It seemed that a filmed version wouldn’t go down a darker rabbit hole with Alice, until now that is.
In a statement with the Hollywood Reporter, David Hayter commented on bringing his filmed adaptation to life. “American McGee’s Alice and Alice: Madness Returns game series is a groundbreaking reimagining of the classic tale,” he said. “It takes you into the heart of a corrupted Wonderland and throws light into shadowy corners the world has never seen. I am beyond excited to bring this world of madness and wonder to a global audience.”
Aside from being known as the voice actor for Solid Snake in the Metal Gear Solid game series, Hayter has had his forays into film. He wrote the screenplays for The Scorpion King, Watchmen, and X-Men, which won him a Saturn Award. He also made his directing debuted with the film Wolves in 2014.
American McGee seems to be no stranger to Hayter’s wide variety of roles, saying in a statement, “David Hayter brings imagination, experience, and stealth sneaking skills gained through successful missions in film, TV, and video games. I am excited to be working with him and know the Alice fans will welcome him with mad affection.”
