Sabrina Carpenter Ventures into Wonderland with First Major Movie Musical

Sabrina Carpenter isn’t just owning the music charts — now she’s ready to rule the movie screen. The pop star, fresh off six Grammy nominations, is set to lead her first major studio film, a new musical at Universal Pictures.

According to Variety, the project is inspired by Lewis Carroll’s classic tale Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. This means fans can likely expect a little bit of magic, some mind-bending visuals, and maybe even a rabbit or two. Lorene Scafaria, known for her sharp writing and stylish direction, is set to write and direct the film.

Along with starring, Carpenter will also produce the still-untitled movie through her own At Last Productions, teaming up with Marc Platt of Marc Platt Productions. Leslie Morgenstein and Elysa Koplovitz Dutton from Alloy Entertainment are also producing.

This marks another major milestone for Carpenter, who has balanced both acting and music throughout her career. She has appeared in Tall Girl, The Hate U Give, and several Disney Channel projects before focusing full time on her chart-topping music. But this marks her return to the big screen — and it’s happening at the height of her career.

The timing couldn’t be better. Just a week ago, Carpenter earned six Grammy nominations for her seventh studio album Man’s Best Friend, including album, record, and song of the year. Her 2024 album Short n’ Sweet made her a global superstar, mixing pop hooks with a playful, confident edge that seems tailor-made for a musical adventure.

According to sources, as reported by Variety, Carpenter first approached Universal with the idea back in 2024. As the concept grew, Scafaria joined as writer and director. It’s a fitting match — Scafaria has a knack for turning strong, witty female leads into box-office gold.

Lorene Scafaria last worked on HBO’s I Love L.A. and directed episodes of Succession. But she’s best known for the hit 2019 film Hustlers, which she wrote and directed. That movie earned more than $100 million in North America and drew praise for its humor, style, and powerhouse performances. Her other credits include The Meddler and Seeking a Friend for the End of the World. Up next, she’ll also direct the A24 thriller Jonty, starring Jesse Plemons and Cole Escola.

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Carpenter has chased an Alice in Wonderland dream. Back in 2020, Netflix had announced a separate musical version of Alice from Carpenter’s At Last Productions. That project never took off — but this new one at Universal seems poised to deliver what the earlier pitch only promised.

With Scafaria’s sharp direction, a major studio behind her, and her own star power at full brightness, Sabrina Carpenter is ready to tumble into Wonderland once again — this time, for real.