NBC's 'Wonderland' too big to finish in pilot season

'Wonderland's production schedule is being pushed back.

The series, set in the 'Wonderland' of Lewis Carroll's 1865 novella "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," is being Executive Produced by Anthony Zuiker ('CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'). The drama pilot project recently landed on its feet at NBC after ABC dropped the project (reportedly due to the high cost of the production as well as its similarity to the successful ABC show 'Once Upon a Time').

The pilot, Deadline reports, will not be produced within the confines of the standard pilot season due to the scope and complexity of the special effects and sets required to bring 'Wonderland' to life. Chances are the pilot won't be delivered to NBC brass until mid-summer.

'Wonderland' was a late addition to NBC's pilot schedule, only being greenlit on January 29. This adaptation of 'Wonderland' will not follow the story of Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," unlike the famous Disney animated feature or the recent poorly-received 2010 Tim Burton version. Written by Whit Anderson, 'Wonderland' is set in modern times and focuses on Alice as well as a new character, Clara.

Seven years ago, Clara’s life took an unexplained turn for the worse, and a mysterious stranger tells her there may be an explanation after all… an explanation that lies in the fantastical world of Wonderland. To revive her dreams and get her life back on track, Clara must wage war against Wonderland’s reigning Queen, the woman we once knew as Alice.

Given that Carroll's novella was intended to capture the elusive, phantasmagoria of dreams, it is no surprise that bringing 'Wonderland' to life on the small screen is proving costly and time-consuming. Here's hoping that the new pushed-back schedule remains feasible!