Ah, Wonka — possibly the best chocolate brand that originated from fictional work in the world. Though the real-life production was discontinued in 2010, the name Wonka never lost its presence in the entertainment media. Since the author Roald Dahl came up with the children’s novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 1964, numerous adaptations have entertained generations with the sweet world of pure imagination. But of course, the most notable are the major motion pictures, the 1971 release of Mel Stuart’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, and the reimagined 2005 iteration of Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Both movies have maintained renown over the years, mainly due to the outstanding performance of each Wonka actor, who also happen to be Hollywood’s most legendary icons, Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp. The two brought the character of Willy Wonka to life with positively different takes and distinctive charms. Yet their incarnations as the amazing chocolate wiz never fail to strike the right chord in the heart of cinema enthusiasts.
And now, we’re off to welcome another Wonka in the upcoming film, Wonka, scheduled to hit the theatres on Dec. 15 this year. This time, the honor of playing the eccentric chocolatier is bestowed upon the hottest, mega-popular rising star, Timothée Chalamet. He will carry on the proud legacy of Wilder and Depp by portraying the young Willy Wonka in a story told from a new perspective: his origins. Taking place before the events of the 1964 novel, the feature will follow his adventures prior to opening the world’s most famous chocolate factory, as well as how he met the Oompa-Loompas.
Like the previous two movie adaptations, Wonka, too, will employ the resurging musical genre. So, it goes without saying that Chalamet’s vocals are very much anticipated, especially since it’s been teased for quite some time by fellow co-star Keegan-Michael Key. Aside from that, however, there are certain other aspects many would like to find clarity in this prequel tale of one enigmatic Willy Wonka.
Wonka’s Initial Relationship With His Competitors
Plenty of names have been announced as part of the cast list, including the notables like Olivia Colman, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Matt Lucas, the aforementioned Key, and of course, Chalamet. But so far, only a very few have their role confirmed and disclosed, and interestingly, they are Paterson Joseph as Slugworth and Mathew Baynton as Fickelgruber, Wonka’s notorious nemesis.
We’ve all known just how severe trade secrets thievery among candy makers can get. Slugworth and Fickelgruber even went as far as sending spies to steal the secret recipes to Wonka’s treats so they could produce them as their own. It remains unclear whether both are simply obsessed industrialists jealous of Wonka’s brilliance and success or there’s an underlying issue between the three, perhaps the classic case of a broken partnership or something even deeper. Whatever the problem, it sure would be gratifying to know how their rivalry started or where it stemmed from in the forthcoming flick.
The Appearance of Joe Bucket
Who can tell Wonka’s tale, sprinkle it in fun, and cover it in hope and a dream or two? Grandpa Joe can. The Bucket elder knows a great deal about the chocolatier’s journey, and judging from how enthusiastic he is when recounting any of the chapters to Charlie, it can be assumed Joe holds great admiration for Wonka. The novel and the 1971 picture never really justified that particular detail, while the 2005 remake gave the character an additional backstory where he worked for Wonka and had witnessed the man’s genius firsthand until the mass layoff on account of the dire corporate espionage mentioned above to better explain the unbridled excitement that awoke a bed-ridden senior upon receiving the coveted Golden Ticket.
Yet since Wonka will serve as a prequel to the novel, Burton’s creative addition for Joe Bucket will most likely not be implemented. Though hopefully, the filmmakers can conceive a way to connect said dots by incorporating his character into this flick; after all, he is a crucial character in the main narrative. In addition, viewers would surely appreciate learning why Grandpa Joe became so invested in Willy Wonka, should the film allow it.
The Grounds for Wonka’s Eventual Choice of a Non-Familial Heir
Given how protective Wonka is of his creation (as he should be), it seems rather strange how he immediately resorted to finding an external heir that’s definitely not next of kin. From the original work, we can see that Wonka runs free and solo, which raises profuse intrigue about his background, which would be perfect to be explored in this prequel feature.
His decision to let the chocolate factory fall into the hands of a child is most judicious, for grownups can undoubtedly turn treacherous when blinded by power and ego, just as Slugworth and Fickelgruber illustrated. Indeed, the Golden Ticket recipients are all tested, and Charlie, with that heart of gold of his, passed and certainly is the right call for an inheritor. Still, the child bears no blood relation to Wonka and, therefore, is a stranger. Thus, the big question is: why entrusts the factory to an outsider? Are there no other alternatives?
The Candy Man’s family and kinship is a mystery worth unfolding like Burton and Dahl once did. The writer’s widow, Felicity, revealed that the earlier draft of the novel tinkered with the fact that Wonka already has a son, so Charlie was only given a store, not the chocolate business in its entirety. Though if that did happen, the story surely wouldn’t be as impactful. Nevertheless, it’d be nice to see any justification surrounding Wonka lineage now that we’re returning to the famed chocolatier’s beginnings.
With the newest update of Wonka reshoots marking the production’s steady advancement and signifying the finished film should be ready for viewing very soon, the public holds its breath in anticipation of what director Paul King has in store for the highly anticipated movie. And regardless of the expectations detailed above, any scenario developed for Wonka’s backstory should unfold well under the capable hands of the sterling cast and crew.