Sabrina Carpenter Steps into Wonderland with Universal’s New Movie Musical 

By Samantha Skura 
Are you a fan of movie musicals starring pop icons? Get ready. Sabrina Carpenter, fresh off six Grammy Nominations for her seventh studio album, Man’s Best Friend, is unstoppable. Now she takes her talents to the big screen, starring, leading, and producing Universal Studios’ upcoming Alice in Wonderland-inspired movie musical. A bold crossover for Carpenter, the film cements her as both a top-charting artist and a creative force shaping pop culture.  

This is not Carpenter’s first time on film. She previously appeared in critically acclaimed projects such as The Hate You Give and Tall Girl, but this new musical is more of a passion project for Carpenter. Reports confirm that she first pitched the project — inspired by Lewis Carroll’s novel “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” (1865) — to Netflix in 2020, but it did not get picked up. She has since enjoyed an extraordinary run musically and, in 2024, brought the project back to Universal, complete with a lookbook and a full creative vision. Carpenter’s dedication is a testament to the power of persistence, which she fully embodies. 

Carroll’s original tale follows Alice as she tumbles down a rabbit hole into a fantastical world of talking creatures, landscapes, and whimsical stories. Universal Studios promises to reimagine this iconic journey with Carpenter’s pop sensibilities, humor, and a modern flair through the adaptation. 

Carpenter is not the only powerhouse behind this film; she is joined by Marc Platt, the producer behind the Broadway and film productions of the hit show, Wicked. He is not the only one bringing expertise: Lorene Scafaria, acclaimed writer and director of Hustlers and Succession, will pen and direct the feature. Leslie Morgenstein and Elysa Koplovitz of Alloy Entertainment —best known for shows like Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars — round out the phenomenal producing slate. 

This project marks a milestone for Carpenter. From Disney Channel to arena tours, to supporting roles, she is now poised to redefine what a pop star can do in cinema. With Carroll’s timeless story as inspiration and a team of seasoned producers by her side, Carpenter’s Wonderland is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated movie musicals of the decade.