Depp says filming 'Alice' was great fun

LONDON, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- U.S. actor Johnny Depp said at the London premiere of "Alice in Wonderland" that filming the Tim Burton film was "a ball."

Parade Magazine said Friday that Depp, 46, explained how much fun he had working with the famed director once again, this time portraying the Mad Hatter in the newest film rendition of the popular literary classic.

"I had a ball," Depp said at Thursday's premiere. "Tim called me and asked if I wanted to play the character (of the Mad Hatter) and I immediately said yes. I wanted to find a way to do something I thought was a bit different, maybe hadn't been done before. It was a great challenge. It was a gas. For me, it was just a ball."

Depp and Burton have previously collaborated on films such as "Ed Wood," "Sleepy Hollow" and "Edward Scissorhands."

MTV.com said Depp promised viewers that Burton reached "new heights" in creating "Alice," due for widespread release next Friday.

"In terms of cinema itself, Tim has gone beyond any place he's ever traveled before," Depp said. "He's gone far above anything he's done before. He's really gone to new heights."