Alice In Wonderland axed by Odeon cinemas

Tim Burton's adaptation of Alice in Wonderland will not be screened at Odeon cinemas in the UK, the Irish Republic or Italy, the cinema chain has revealed.

The protest comes after Disney's plan to reduce the standard 17-week period in which the film can be shown in cinemas.

This would allow the company to release the film - starring Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter - on DVD at the end of May.

A statement from Odeon says the company feels it will "set a new benchmark, leading to a 12-week window becoming rapidly standard", if they were to agree to Disney's proposal.

"The negative impact on cinema attendance that such a reduction in the window will have will threaten the continued existence of many cinemas, especially the smaller and medium-sized cinemas,"  an Odeon spokesperson says.

Alice in Wonderland hits screens across the UK on April 16.