There have been over 10 film and stage adaptations of Alice in Wonderland however, there are only two Madhatters which became famous among kids and adults alike. There was a Madhatter in Batman and other Madhatters in other shows but Disney’s and Tim Burton’s Madhatters succeeded in becoming the two most popular version of the insane tea-party host.

According to literary critics, the Madhatter was patterned by Lewis Carroll after a popular furniture salesman. Theophilus Carter’s eccentricity became known throughout Britain and even Sir John Tenniel himself drew his Madhatter version by using Theophilus Carter as the model.

Theophilus Carter’s unusual mannerism of standing outside his furniture shop wearing an unusually tall top hat became the primary image of the Madhatter. Later on, the popularity of the Madhatter gave Carter an unusual nickname– he was then known as the Madhatter.

If you compared Disney’s Madhatter against Burton’s Hatter, you would probably say that Disney’s rendition looks almost like Carter himself. The real Madhatter is described to be an adult man with a receding chin and this image was perfectly captured by Disney animators.

However, between the two, Burton’s Madhatter became known as the creepy rendition of the character. His eccentricity, obsession for hats and tea, and mere insanity was captured by Johnny Depp’s brilliant acting prowess. The redheaded Madhatter later became a favorite movie character for fans to portray.

Whether you are a Disney kid and you prefer the older Madhatter costume compared to the new one, you could always opt for the older costume for Halloween events. The colors used in this costume are brighter and more solid so you are easily recognized from afar.

On the other hand, Tom Burton’s character is easily identified by his top hat and red hair so, to pull off the look the way Depp did, you need to equip yourself with red, curly hair.