Rhys Ifans Joins Alice in Wonderland 2 As Johnny Depp’s Dad

Last month is was revealed that acclaimed stage actor Mark Rylance was in negotiations to play the Mad Hatter’s father in the Alice in Wonderland sequel Through the Looking Glass. However a deal was never reached, so instead Rhys Ifans is being brought in for the role, according to TheWrap.

Ifans is actually four years younger than Depp, but with plenty of makeup, he will be Zanik Hightopp, who’s described as having brightly-coloured hair like his son, which cannot be contained under a top hat.

Johnny Depp is set to return as The Mad Hatter,  with Mia Wasikowska as Alice and Helena Bonham Carter as The Red Queen. Sacha Baron Cohen is a new cast member, playing a villain named Time.

James Bobin (Muppets Most Wanted) is directing from a screenplay by Linda Woolverton (Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent), with Joe Roth producing. The movie should shoot this summer with a May 27, 2016 release date set.