Whether in the desert on a remote planet or in the world's most famous chocolate factory, Timothée Chalamet has been a popular face on the big screen lately. This holiday season he's set to be a double feature both in Dune: Part Two this November, followed by the sweets-filled prequel Wonka in December. Now, after months of anticipation, chocolate lovers can rejoice as the official trailer for Wonka has now dropped, giving us a firsthand look at what to expect in this one-of-a-kind origin story.
Wonka is set to be a musical fantasy prequel to Roald Dahl's famous 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, following the eccentric and enigmatic Willy Wonka in his earlier days as a chocolatier, before his factory comes to life and he first meets the iconic Oompa Loompas. The film is helmed by Paul King, who also co-wrote the script with Simon Farnaby. Producers include Alexandra Derbyshire, Luke Kelly, and David Heyman who also worked on the entire Harry Potter film franchise. Starring in the film are Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka, Keegan Michael-Key, Rowan Atkinson, Sally Hawkins, Olivia Colman, and several others. Hugh Grant has also been confirmed to be playing an Oompa Loompa, which is comically suitable.
Wonka Will Be Unlike Any Previous Adaptation
The story of Willy Wonka and his enigmatic and often dangerous chocolate factory has been adapted twice for the big screen, as well as being turned into a spectacular stage musical. Probably the most famous adaptation saw Gene Wilder taking on the role of Wonka back in 1971, in a film that has been loved for decades by everyone...well everyone except its author, Roald Dahl, who famously hated the movie version of the tale.
Johnny Depp also took on the role of Wonka in Tim Burton's 2005 remake. Despite having some big shoes to fill, Depp and Burton worked their magic to deliver a movie that was both a financial and critical success. Warner Bros. Discovery will be hoping that their new take on Wonka will be equally successful especially considering the lackluster reaction to their recent run of DC movies.
As a prequel, Wonka will be able to tell a completely different story to both the previous movies and Roald Dahl's original novel. In many ways, that could be the movie's biggest benefit, allowing it to tell its own musical story without being directly compared to the versions that have come before. The film certainly promises to bring something magical and musical to cinemas in time for the festive holidays, even if it is going head to head with WBD's final DCEU movie, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and could also be up against Sony's Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel if it makes its current release date.
Wonka is currently schedules to be released on December 15, 2023.
