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Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016) movie poster

Timeline

Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2016 · 113 min · English
JustWatch #25,587 2
Directed by
James Bobin
Starring
Anne Hathaway, Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Helena Bonham Carter
Budget
$170M

Alice plunges back into the whimsical world of Underland, reconnecting with familiar faces like the White Queen and the Mad Hatter. The Hatter is consumed by grief over the loss of his family, and Alice, determined to help, embarks on a daring mission. She travels through time using the Chronosphere to save the Hatter's loved ones. However, altering the past has unforeseen consequences, awakening the malevolent Red Queen and setting off a thrilling and perilous quest.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Alice Through the Looking Glass
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016)

Where can you watch Alice Through the Looking Glass? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Disney Plus, Pluto TV and Amazon Video: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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15 events in order · contains spoilers

Alice Through the Looking Glass Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Alice's Return to London

    Alice Kingsleigh returns to London and is confronted by a shocking twist when her former fiancé, Hamish Ascot, demands her family home. In exchange, he promises to return her father's beloved ship, prompting Alice to reflect on her past and the choices that led her here.

    Where
    London
  2. Journey Back to Wonderland

    Guided by the mysterious butterfly, Absolem, Alice embarks on a nostalgic journey back to Wonderland. She passes through a magical mirror, rekindling memories of her adventures in the whimsical realm.

    Where
    Wonderland
  3. Concern for the Mad Hatter

    Upon her arrival, Alice is welcomed back by her beloved characters, including the troubled Mad Hatter. The usual vibrant atmosphere of Wonderland is overshadowed by the Hatter's erratic behavior stemming from the disappearance of his family.

    Where
    Wonderland
  4. Alice Comforts the Hatter

    Determined to help the distressed Mad Hatter, Alice tries to comfort him. However, her words do not provide solace as he clings to the belief that his family is still alive, hiding from the dangerous Jabberwocky.

    Where
    Wonderland
  5. A Mission to Find Time

    The White Queen sends Alice on a mission to find Time, hoping to persuade him to help rescue the Hatter's family. She warns Alice about the potential dangers of meddling with the timelines of Wonderland.

    Where
    Wonderland
  6. The Theft of the Chronosphere

    Alice boldly takes the Chronosphere, a powerful artifact capable of manipulating time. With it, she embarks on a perilous quest, determined to change the past and aid her friends.

    Where
    Castle of Eternity
  7. Encounter with Time

    At the ominous Castle of Eternity, Alice meets the enigmatic figure known as Time. Initially dismissive of her pleas, Alice takes decisive action and seizes the Chronosphere, embarking on her journey into the past.

    Where
    Castle of Eternity
  8. The Red Queen's Coronation

    Alice finds herself at the Red Queen’s coronation, where a younger Mad Hatter makes fun of the Queen’s awkwardly oversized crown. The chaotic scene highlights the volatile relationship between the sisters.

    Where
    Castle
  9. A Comedy of Errors

    During the festivities, the Red Queen's rage escalates, leading to a comical incident where her head hilariously inflates. This moment illustrates the mental instability of the Red Queen and sets the stage for her later actions.

    Where
    Castle
  10. Alice's Interference

    Attempting to alter the timeline for good, Alice knocks over a clock in the bustling square. However, her interference does not go as planned, resulting in the White Queen getting hurt instead.

    Where
    Square
  11. Return to Reality

    After her reckless actions, Alice confronts the weary figure of Time, who admonishes her for disrupting the fabric of time. In a desperate need to fix her mistakes, Alice returns to the real world but faces a harsh reality.

    Where
    Real World
  12. Institutionalized

    Alice finds herself institutionalized under a diagnosis of female hysteria. With her mother's guidance, she learns to escape confinement and finds her way back to Wonderland.

    Where
    Institution
  13. Confrontation with the Jabberwocky

    Back in Wonderland, Alice witnesses the Jabberwocky attacking, raising the stakes dramatically. She discovers that the Hadder’s family is alive but being held captive by the Red Queen’s intimidating Red Knights.

    Where
    Wonderland
  14. Climactic Battle for the Chronosphere

    The Red Queen captures Hatter’s family and steals Alice's Chronosphere, igniting chaos that threatens the very fabric of Wonderland. Both Queens engage in a fierce dispute, leading to a paradox that endangers their realm.

    Where
    Red Queen's Fortress
  15. Restoration of Harmony

    Alice and the Hatter plunge into another tumultuous journey through time. Just as calamity strikes, Alice reclaims the Chronosphere, restoring balance to the universe and allowing the Hatter to reunite with his family.

    Where
    Wonderland

Last updated: November 22, 2024 at 10:44

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Timeline questions answered

Alice Through the Looking Glass Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why is Alice institutionalized in the film?

After Alice interferes with time and causes the White Queen to get hurt, Time scolds her for disrupting the fabric of time. When she returns to the real world, she is diagnosed with female hysteria and institutionalized. Her mother helps her escape so she can return to Wonderland.

  • alice institutionalized
  • hysteria diagnosis
  • alice returns to london
Q2

How does Alice save the Mad Hatter's family?

Alice travels through time using the Chronosphere to rescue the Hatter's family from the Red Queen's knights. She travels back to the moment when the Jabberwocky attacked and saves them before they can be killed. In the present, she discovers they had been trapped in an ant farm inside the Red Queen's fortress.

  • mad hatter family rescued
  • chronsophere time travel
  • jabberwocky attack
Q3

What is the Chronosphere and what does it do?

The Chronosphere is a powerful artifact located in Time's Castle of Eternity that allows whoever possesses it to travel through time. Alice steals it to go back and save the Mad Hatter's family, but using it creates dangerous paradoxes that threaten to unravel Wonderland itself.

  • chronosphere artifact
  • time machine
  • castle of eternity
Q4

Why is the Red Queen angry at her sister?

The Red Queen's hatred stems from childhood when she took the blame for her sister stealing a tart. The young White Queen sneakily stole the tart and let her sister take the punishment, causing the Red Queen to be expelled from the castle. This betrayal is what drives her resentment throughout the film.

Foreshadowing: The film shows the Red Queen's coronation where her head inflates from rage, hinting at her unstable psyche from past betrayals.

  • red queen white queen sisters
  • tart theft
  • childhood betrayal
Q5

What causes the time paradox in the film?

The time paradox forms when Alice changes events in the past and then returns to a present where reality has been altered. The paradox becomes visible when both Queens face off, causing their forms to warp and threaten to dissolve all of Wonderland. Alice must retrieve the Chronosphere to restore the timeline.

  • time paradox
  • warp reality
  • unchronology
Q6

How does Alice revive the dying Mad Hatter?

When Alice returns to the present, she finds the Mad Hatter on the brink of death from grief. Her heartfelt tears of compassion breathe new life into him, restoring his health and true self. This emotional moment is what allows him to join the final battle.

Foreshadowing: The Mad Hatter's erratic behavior throughout the film stems from his belief that his family is still alive, which Alice's tears ultimately confirm.

  • mad hatter dies
  • alice tears revive
  • hatter death
Q7

Why do the Red and White Queens reconcile?

After the time paradox is resolved and Wonderland is restored, the White Queen finally apologizes to her sister for the childhood incident where she let her take the blame for stealing the tart. This sincere apology, combined with the trials they faced together, allows the sisters to reconcile.

  • queens reconcile
  • white queen apology
  • sisters makeup
Q8

How does Alice stop Hamish from taking her home?

When Hamish refuses to give Alice back her father's ship and demands her family home, Alice refuses to give in. She teams up with her mother and together they decide to sail the ship themselves, continuing Alice's adventures rather than letting Hamish control their fate.

  • hamish ascot
  • father ship
  • alice mother team up
Q9

Why does the Mad Hatter believe his family is still alive?

The Mad Hatter is consumed by grief over his family's disappearance during the Jabberwocky's attack. His mind clings to the belief that they survived and are hiding somewhere, which is why he behaves so erratically. Alice's mission to prove his family is alive is what drives the entire plot.

  • mad hatter grief
  • jabberwocky family
  • family missing
Q10

Why does knocking over the clock in the past fail to help?

Alice attempts to save the White Queen by knocking over a clock in the past during the Red Queen's coronation. However, her interference backfires, the clock still injures the White Queen anyway, proving that changing small details doesn't prevent the major outcomes Time has set in place.

  • clock past
  • alice changes timeline
  • fail time travel

Movie threads

More Movies Like Alice Through the Looking Glass, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Alice Through the Looking Glass tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Fantasy Time Travel Movies like Alice Through the Looking Glass

Colorful quests into the past to heal the wounds of the present. If you enjoyed the time-bending adventure in Alice Through the Looking Glass, you'll like these movies. They share a similar mix of whimsical fantasy worlds, high-stakes time travel missions, and a hopeful tone. Discover other films where characters race against the clock to fix the past in imaginative settings.

  • time travel
  • urgent
  • hopeful
  • fantastical
  • quest
  • redemptive
  • Tone: whimsical, urgent
  • Pacing: fast, quest-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a protagonist who gains access to a device or power for time travel, launching them on a urgent quest. The plot is driven by a series of encounters in different time periods, facing obstacles that test their resolve, all while dealing with the potential consequences of their meddling. The journey typically culminates in a pivotal moment where the past is changed, leading to a resolution that mends relationships or saves a family.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together because they share a core premise of fantastical time travel used for a redemptive, personal goal. They blend fast-paced adventure with emotional stakes, set against visually rich and often quirky backdrops. The tone is primarily whimsical but carries a melancholic or urgent undercurrent, resulting in a satisfying, hopeful conclusion.

Movies with Whimsical Melancholy like Alice Through the Looking Glass

Stories where bright, eccentric settings contrast with deep personal loss. For viewers who liked the blend of fantasy and grief in Alice Through the Looking Glass, this list features similar films. These stories use imaginative worlds and quirky characters to explore themes of loss, family, and redemption. Find other movies where a hopeful adventure helps heal a character's heartache.

  • melancholic
  • whimsical
  • hopeful
  • fantastical
  • quirky
  • grief
  • Tone: whimsical, melancholic
  • Pacing: variable, reflective and active
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The stories often begin with a character entering or returning to an unusual world that seems designed for fun and adventure. However, they or a key companion are burdened by a past trauma or loss. The fantastical journey becomes a metaphor for their internal healing, using the world's strange logic and characters to help them confront and ultimately overcome their sadness, leading to a cathartic reunion or acceptance.

Why they belong together: These films are connected by their unique emotional tone: a mix of whimsy and melancholy. The visual style is often bright and inventive, but the emotional core deals with heavier themes like grief and loneliness. This creates a distinctive, bittersweet vibe that is both uplifting and thoughtful, appealing to viewers who enjoy depth within their fantasy adventures.

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Movies Like Alice Through the Looking Glass

Similar movies to Alice Through the Looking Glass: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

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Every angle

Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Alice Through the Looking Glass in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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