Entertainment Weekly has given audiences their first look into the characters of Disney’s upcoming Into the Woods. Appearing on four alternative covers of the EW holiday preview issue, not only do we learn more about the characters from the musical adaptation, we get our first look at Johnny Depp in full wolf makeup. Hit the jump to take a look at Anna Kendrick as Cinderella, Johnny Depp as the Big Bad Wolf, and many others.

As one of the most highly anticipated movies of the year, this is our first in-depth look at the story and characters from Into the Woods. Aside from the first teaser trailer, there hasn’t been any hint to what the story of Into the Woods is about or how all of these fairy tale characters come together; unless you’ve seen the musical, of course.

The four variant holiday covers featuring Cinderella, the Wolf, Prince Charming (Chris Pine), the Baker (James Corden), the Baker’s Wife (Emily Blunt), Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), and the Witch (Meryl Streep) in full costume. The results are a darker, more ethereal feel that is slightly removed from the usual Disney fare.

(Click on the thumbnails below to enlarge the images)

Perhaps the most notable costume of all those pictured above is of Johnny Depp. His attire appears to be a grey, fur-covered zoot suit, complete with a fedora, ears, and a tail. The costume is inspired by the overly amorous wolf from the 1940’s Tex Avery cartoons and the end result is a more personified wolf than anything else. According to Depp:

”Rob Marshall wasn’t afraid to let me take the role to a level of heightened reality, almost cartoon-like, where one second the Wolf is here, and then, boom, suddenly he’s over there.”

The other costumes are, for the most part, traditional period garb with splashes of color. This is especially true for Red Riding Hood, whose costume consists of a bright, fire engine red hood, a powder blue dress reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, and Elizabethan-style boots.

And if Chris Pine looks too perfect as Prince Charming, there is specific reason for that, Pine states:

”I sat in the makeup chair, and we started playing around with hairstyles. I said, ‘What if he had this weird Elvis pompadour, always coiffed and absurdly too big? There’s something laughable about him. He’s very gallant, but you just want him to also be, like, a douche.”

Two main characters that folks may be unfamiliar with are the Baker and Baker’s Wife. From what it seems, the Baker may act as the audience’s proxy into this fantastical world.

”All of the other characters are from a fairy tale world, and the Baker and his wife are the everyman and everywoman. I think Rob [Marshall] wanted someone who would represent the audience in that fashion, and I was very lucky.”

Rapunzel’s costume is also noteworthy. Her dress is suspiciously similar to that of her counterpart of the same name in the Disney animated feature, Tangled. More than likely, cosplayers will be eagerly taking note of these covers in anticipation of the next comic convention, and for good reason.

Disney’s Into the Woods will be released on December 25, 2014.

Source: Entertainment Weekly