Notice: This article or section contains information about content that was planned or conceptualized for the Epic Mickey series, but was ultimately scrapped. Information about scrapped content should not be considered canon.
A level based on Wonderland from the 1951 movie Alice in Wonderland was planned for every released games of the Epic Mickey series, including the remake of the first game. But it would end up being cut each time for multiple reasons.
Description[]
According to The Art of Epic Mickey, Wonderland was supposed to be ruled by the Red Queen which would've been opposed by the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit and the Cheshire Cat. Only a few concept art exist and it was cut due to "rights reasons" and because of the release of the 2010 live-action film by Tim Burton. [1]
Another reason why the level was cut, according to Warren Spector, was due to a lack of interests of the development team for this world.[2]
Tulgey Wood[]
Tulgey Wood is an area supposed to appear in Wonderland for the first game. In concept art for the level, it shows Mickey exploring the area with a giant Cheshire Cat looking down at him complete with large mushrooms and a giant checkerboard with overturned teacups as decoration. What role this level would have played is unknown.
Wonderland Maze[]
Mickey in the Wonderland Maze
Concept art reveals that Mickey would've ventured through the Wonderland Maze, just like the one outside the Queen of Hearts' castle.
Queen of Hearts' castle[]
Another concept art show Mickey inside the Queen of Hearts' castle, supposedly where the Red Queen would've lived.
In Epic Mickey[]
Wonderland as it appears on the map of Wasteland
Despite being scrapped, elements of the Wonderland level still appear in the final version of Epic Mickey. In the Ticket Booth area, the Mad Tea Party ride is present in addition to numerous hedge sculptures, models, and textures in the area sharing themes with how the overworld of the Wonderland area looks on Yen Sid's Wasteland model.
After Mickey causes the Thinner Disaster and spills the Jug, the Wonderland model sinks into the resulting hole and disappears. This may have caused the real version to disappear as well, as it is not visible when Mickey tumbles into the Wasteland. However, it's possible the real version isn't there simply because Warren didn't want to show a level that wouldn't be visited. It should be noted that when Mickey and Oswald destroy the Blot and repaint Wasteland, the model is restored and thus, the Wonderland model is restored as well. Also, Thru the Mirror appeared along with some of its characters, it being based on Alice's Adventures Through the Looking Glass. The Wonderland icon was also seen in the introduction part of Tales of Wasteland, and in the map of Wasteland found in the Digicomics app and in The Art of Epic Mickey.
In Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two[]
Wonderland was planned to appear in Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two but was scrapped a second time. Despite this, several more elements appear in the game. In the Floatyard, two whole areas contain floats and objects that made an appearance in Alice In Wonderland.
In one area of the Floatyard, the White Rabbit's House float appears as a building, with parts of the giant animatronic Alice still inside. Both of the float's hands appear holding fireworks, which are required for the Thinner path exit. In front of it, there is an Ink Well adorned with a statue of the White Rabbit and some Red Rose Bushes and Talking Flowers. Above it, there is a float of the Caterpillar on a cliff, alongside Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum floats that are embedded into the wall. Also, the Cheshire Cat, the Queen Of Hearts, a Flamingo and the King Of Hearts appear as floats in the area, though the latter is an object in the background. There are four hedges shaped like card suits, which are heavily prominent in Alice In Wonderland, and the various talking flowers also make an appearance as thinnable objects. Some mushrooms and a Flamingo head appear as platforms, and an earnable pin, 'Don't Just Do Something, Stand There!' is based on a phrase from the film.
The second area is the Candy Canyon, in which some playing cards along with what appears to be some kind of sweet wrapper with a picture of Alice on the front appear. Additionally, if Mickey and Oswald revisit the Train Dioramas after beating Prescott's mech, they can find a Tea Cup Spinner that was due to appear in the Wonderland level (which also appeared in the 2010 E3 demo).
In Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion[]
Concept art of Wonderland in Power of Illusion
Wonderland was supposed to appears as a stage in Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion, as one of Mizrabel's illusion in her castle, but, like its fate in the first and second game, it was once again scrapped. However, a few characters from Wonderland appear in the game, including Alice, whose room is an illusion of The Mad Tea Party, The Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Cat. In earlier box art prints of the game, the Queen of Hearts appears on the cover, despite not appearing in the game at all. It seems as though she was scrapped along with Wonderland. In later box art prints, the Mad Hatter replaced where she was.
In Epic Mickey: Rebrushed[]
| “ | I found myself in this strange place, he might have the answers I'm looking for. | ” |
–Description for the scrapped quest "Chase Oswald" | ||
Wonderland was supposed to return in this remake of the first game. However, it was scrapped again, like all of its planned appearances. Quests along with music tracks for the level can still be found in the files and reveals that it would've seen Mickey chasing Oswald around Wonderland before facing the Caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland.
According to footage from the February leak, the level would have begun with Mickey landing near the White Rabbit's house. After chasing a taunting Oswald through the Tugley Wood, Oswald would have locked himself behind a gate that required two keys to open. One key was supposed to be found in a "Tea Party" room, where Mickey would have shrunk himself by eating a mushroom, while the second key would have been located in the Wonderland Maze. After Mickey obtained the two keys and opened the gate, it is unknown how the rest of the level would have played out, other than him fighting the Caterpillar.
Fate[]
The Art of Epic Mickey contains a quote saying "But who knows what the future may hold?". Warren then later added in an interview that he "got an idea for the story in Wonderland and we’ll talk about that and maybe it shows up in a game someday."[2]
This hinted that Wonderland may appears in a future installment. However, it is currently the only world in the franchise to have been cut in all released games of the series.
Trivia[]
- Since multiple areas that were scrapped from the final game including Wonderland appear on Yen Sid's Wasteland model in the first game's opening, it is very plausible that that portion of the cutscene was created well before all locations that would appear in the final game were decided on. This can also apply to other forms of media like the map of Wasteland in the Disney Epic Mickey Digicomics app.
- In the Rebrushed version of the level, Spatters were meant to have different outfits depending on the sections Mickey was in. For example, Spatter would've wore an Oswald mask at the beginning of the level, a "Tea Party" outfit in the Tea Party section, and a card outfit in the Maze section.
- The description of the cut "Chase Oswald" quest suggest that the level would've been set somewhere between The Mad Doctor's Lab and Mean Street. As Mickey spent a majority of his time chasing Oswald in Gremlin Village.
Gallery[]
Epic Mickey[]
Power of Illusion[]
Epic Mickey Digicomics[]
Epic Mickey: Rebrushed[]
Soundtrack[]
References[]
- ↑
Chase Jones' comment about Wonderland
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/07/05/warren-spector-were-not-curing-cancer-here-were-making-games?page=1
