HOLLYWOOD star Mischa Barton could be coming to Great Yarmouth for a remake of Alice in Wonderland with a backdrop of drugs and prostitution.The film is being made by Future films, and has 22-year-old Mischa Barton as its lead.

HOLLYWOOD star Mischa Barton could be coming to Great Yarmouth for a remake of Alice in Wonderland with a backdrop of drugs and prostitution.

The film is being made by Future films, and has 22-year-old Mischa Barton as its lead. The actress is best known for her role as Marissa in hit television show The OC, and also has a string of films to her name.

The movie was originally due to be called Malice in Sunderland and would have been shot in the north-east, but its budget fell short.

Now Screen East, which promotes filming in the East of England, has offered to invest £250,000 for a stake in the film. Southend and Yarmouth are two of the leading contenders to become the location, although Southend is believed to be the frontrunner.

Written by Jayson Rothwell and directed by Simon Fellows, Malice in Wonderland sees Alice lose her memory after she is run over by a London cab. She is taken to another town, and Lewis Carroll's much-loved characters like the caterpillar and Mad Hatter are replaced by drug dealers and brothel keepers.

The film could lead to £500,000 being spent locally on everything from accommodation to equipment hire and catering, and lead to six full-time equivalent jobs. Local people could also appear as extras.

Producer Albert Martinez-Martin, who co-produced last year's film Flawless staring Michael Caine and Demi Moore, said they were looking at Southend and Yarmouth.

David Wilkinson, head of business at Screen East, said: “If it is Southend that will be well and good, and if it is Yarmouth that will be well and good.

“The fund brings major economic and motivational impact to those areas selected by producers to film in. In the longer term it is envisaged that production companies will develop lasting commitment to the areas in which they shoot.”

The funding is part of Screen East's content investment fund which is targeted at films shot or produced in deprived areas in the region. It comes from European Regional Development funds and Lottery funds from the UK Film Council.