The new Wonka trailer is available now, and the imagery is simply dazzling. Timothée Chalamet gives Roald Dahl’s character the right amount of magic and eccentricity that makes the chocolate maker so unique, continuing the lasting legacy of amazing performances given by Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp. The upcoming movie, clearly explained by the trailer, is the prequel story of Willy Wonka and how he became the renowned Candyman.
Yet, among the many impressive elements of the trailer, a couple of elements stand out. Not only the visual world of the setting is compelling, but also the dazzling characters and places seem to suggest much more than a standalone prequel of the young Willy Wonka. In an era of franchise fatigue and recycled stories, any successful original(ish) story can create new universes of multipart franchises, and despite this one not coming out of nowhere, the recently released trailer does suggest a story going in that direction.
More Than a Prequel, The Willy Wonka Universe
The new Wonka trailer offered a glimpse at much more than a simple fantasy movie. The two minutes-and-a-half teaser drops many references that will hardly be contained in a two-and-a-half-hour feature. It starts with Wonka’s travels to distant lands, something that will probably not cover too much in the upcoming movie but is still worth hours of entertainment. Willy Wonka’s adventures before becoming a successful chocolatier could easily be in the works if this movie performs well at the box office.
The trailer then moves on to show the yet unnamed town where Chalamet’s character decides to set up his factory. The different places in this small city shown in the preview throw a whole “Diagon Alley” vibe. Audiences not only see different shops and windows in a commercial district but also meet the potential antagonists of the series: the chocolate cartel.
From bankers to other chocolate entrepreneurs, a society of diverse characters hint at the possibility of villains that might have some continuity if the Wonka universe expands to more films.
Of course, there is no hero without a good friend/sidekick. Calah Lane surfaced as an audacious girl accompanying Timothée Chalamet in his quest for the best candies in the world. It’s crucial for the expansion of a franchise that Willy Wonka’s story does not depend solely on him and can properly diversify the topics in the film through rich characters.
Similarly, Sally Hawkins will take the role of Wonka’s mother, an unseen character in previous cinematic renditions of Willy. The chocolatier’s backstory is one of the many questions a multipart franchise would answer.
On that same tenor, the well-known actor Hugh Grant is the new Oompa-Loompa. His appearance in the trailer not only marks the return of the beloved character in the franchise but also gives background on how he came to be Wonka’s associate. Furthermore, the short scene in the preview and the aesthetic of the Oompa-Loompa reminds audiences of the 1971 film, with the character playing a melody in the flute that originated in said movie.
In an era of multiverses and multiple renditions of the same character, the intertext between these depictions is more relevant than ever, with ambitious crossovers being set with that premise (Spider-Man: No Way Home and the recent The Flash being two notable examples).
The Big Names in the Wonka Trailer
The first section already covered part of the ambitious casting decisions, from the up-and-coming Timothée Chalamet himself to the still-relevant Hugh Grant. To this A-list of celebrities, it’s also important to add Keegan-Michael Key, Olivia Colman, Rowan Atkinson, and Matt Lucas to the mix, among others. Still, the biggest name thrown in the trailer is not a person, but a legend that reads: “from the producers of Harry Potter.”
David Heyman is one of the few privileged that can add the title of “producer of Harry Potter” to his CV. Heyman, whose name remains unknown to most moviegoers, secured the rights to the boy who lived’s film series in 1999; he was credited as a producer in the eighth film in the series. Heyman was also behind the trilogy (originally slated as a five-part series) of Fantastic Beasts. It’s clear that David Heyman doesn’t think in terms of standalone movies, and his involvement in the Wonka film teases further sequels for it if the box office agrees.
Last but not least, Heyman also produced the Paddington film series, whose director is highlighted in the trailer as well. It seems the producer brought back a familiar director (Paul King, in this case), and it is probably no coincidence that the story of this British teddy bear has spawned into a trilogy (at least, if the third does eventually release).
As usual, these decisions are planned in advance, and the fact that the trailer takes the time to emphasize who is behind production and direction through related popular franchises is a good hint at where they want to take Wonka in the future if audiences agree.
Wonka will hit theaters on Christmas this year. There are still more previews to come up, but the first already looks promising and multi-part-worthy.