Happy Mad Hatter Day, fellow nerds! Yes, Mad Hatter Day is a real thing, and nope, you aren’t the only one who is just now learning this. So, in honor of this day devoted to everyone’s favorite psyschotic tea-drinker, we’re ranking the top 6 Mad Hatters ever conceived in pop culture.
6. The Johnny Depp Version
Go ahead and say what you will about box office numbers and good old Johnny, but there are a few reasons why this version of Mad Hatter is at the bottom of our list. Mainly, the fact that he’s exponentially more obnoxious and annoying than any of his counterparts. When Disney decided to “revisit” Wonderland, it quickly became apparent that this would be unlike their classic, animated version of the beloved Lewis Carrol books. Instead, what we got was an oversaturated, “over-greenscreened” (yes, we just made up that word), and terribly acted concoction straight out of the bowels of Tim Burton’s imagination. While Johnny Depp is a proven actor, this version of the Mad Hatter is a bizarre one, often times meant to carry the story despite his flatness as a character. In short…bleh.
5. The SyFy version
What do you get when SyFy channel tries to make a dystopian futuristic, semi-steampunk version of Wonderland? You get Alice, their often-times overlooked, but creatively interesting version of the classic Alice in Wonderland tale. In this version, Mad Hatter is a drug-dealing, steampunk-esque mob boss who, honestly, is kind of a cool reimagining. Take it all with a grain of salt…this IS a made for television SyFy mini series. However, take a moment to appreciate the thought that went into this redesign, and you’ll appreciate the effort.
4. The Once Upon A Time Version
Fellow Once Upon A Time fans, I have you covered. While I may or may not hear my share of ridicule and jokes for loving ABC’s Once Upon A Time, you just can’t deny the greatness of their ability to transcend beloved characters from literature and film. In OUAT, the Mad Hatter is a depressed, portal-jumping thief played by Sebastian Stan (a.k.a. your favorite Winter Soldier). While this version of the character has only appeared in a few episodes, he still remains one of the show’s most interesting guest characters.
3. The Batman Version
Ignoring the version recently introduced to the FOX show, Gotham, we’ll instead touch on the character from the Batman comics. Jervis Tetch, is a tricky hypnotizing criminal who has thrown Batman many challenging obstacles over the years. Oh yeah, and he’s creepy as hell.
2. The Lewis Carrol Version
How could the original Lewis Carrol version NOT be the number 1 choice, you ask? Well, we’ll get to that shortly. However, you can’t deny the power of the original. Carrol’s version of the character, while part of a children’s novel series, is still one of the most complex and disturbing characters of his time. His zany, downright insane tendencies make him a delightfully creepy part of the original books.
1. The Classic Disney Version
How can you deny this version is the greatest of all time? I mean, ask anyone to think of the Mad Hatter, and they’re most likely imagining this version in their heads. His jolly, borderline manic personality is probably the most memorable part of the beloved Disney classic, Alice in Wonderland.
There you have it. Our top 6 versions of the Mad Hatter. What do you think of our ranking? Did we miss any versions that you were thinking of? Let us know in the comments below!
Tiny Table 3 
I think the Once Upon a Time version is my favorite…though the Hatter isn’t really a favorite character of mine. Kinda obnoxious and annoying. Great list 🙂
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