Wonka (film)

Wonka is an upcoming musical fantasy film directed by Paul King from a screenplay written by Simon Farnaby and King. The film serves as a prequel to the 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl and stars Timothée Chalamet as the title character, following his early days as an eccentric chocolatier. Keegan Michael-Key, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Olivia Colman, and Jim Carter star in supporting roles.

Wonka is scheduled to be released on 15 December 2023 by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Premise[]

Wonka will focus on a young Willy Wonka and his adventures prior to opening the world's most famous chocolate factory.

Cast[]

• Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka
• Keegan-Michael Key
• Sally Hawkins
• Rowan Atkinson
• Olivia Colman
• Jim Carter
• Mathew Baynton
• Tom Davis
• Simon Farnaby
• Rich Fulcher
• Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
• Paterson Joseph
• Calah Lane
• Matt Lucas
• Colin O’Brien
• Natasha Rothwell
• Rakhee Thakrar
• Ellie White
• Murray McArthur^[1]
• Tracy Ifeachor^[2]

Production[]

Timothée Chalamet portrays Willy Wonka

In October 2016, Warner Bros. Pictures acquired the rights to the Willy Wonka character by Roald Dahl, with a film in development from producers David Heyman and Michael Siegel.^[3] In February 2018, it was announced Paul King was in negotiations to direct.^[4][5] That same year, it was reported the studio's shortlist of actors to star as Willy Wonka included Donald Glover, Ryan Gosling, and Ezra Miller,^[6] and it was revealed the film would, in fact, serve as a prequel to the 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.^[7]

In January 2021, it was confirmed King would direct the film, now titled Wonka.^[8] In May, Timothée Chalamet was cast in the title role and it was announced the film would include several musical numbers. It was also revealed the film would be using a screenplay written by Simon Farnaby.^[9] Tom Holland had also been a frontrunner for the role before Chalamet was cast.^[10] In September 2021, it was announced Keegan-Michael Key, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Olivia Colman and Jim Carter were among the newest additions to the cast, with Farnaby also set for a role.^[11][12]

Principal photography began in the United Kingdom in September 2021,^[13] with Seamus McGarvey serving as cinematographer, Nathan Crowley as production designer,^[14] Mark Everson as film editor, and Lindy Hemming as costume designer.^[12] Filming took place in Lyme Regis and Bath,^[15] as well as at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden in Watford.^[16][17] Scenes were shot in Oxford in December and February.^[18][19]

Music[]

Neil Hannon, lead singer of the band The Divine Comedy, will be writing original songs for the film.^[12]

Marketing[]

The marketing campaign from Warner Bros. Pictures for Wonka began on 10 October 2021, when Chalamet shared a photograph of himself in costume as Willy Wonka. The image was posted on Chalamet's Instagram, where he had 13.6 million followers at the time, with the caption "The suspense is terrible, I hope it will last," a reference to the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory starring Gene Wilder as the title character.^[20][21] The Guardian noted that online audiences, especially on Twitter, gave mixed responses to the photograph and wrote, "Judging by the internet, there are essentially two ways to react to it. The first is to be disgusted that Hollywood has bastardised one of the all-time great children's characters by inventing a brand new backstory, with no input from its creator, for cash. The second is just to get really, really horny."^[22]

Release[]

The film is scheduled to be theatrically released by Warner Bros. Pictures on 15 December 2023.^[23] It was originally set for March 17, 2023.^[8]

References[]

External links[]

• Wonka at IMDb