'Wonka' Trailer

He’s been played on screen by Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp, but now Willy Wonka –– the chocolate genius who is a main character in Roald Dahl’s subversive kids’ book ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’–– is coming back to theaters in the shape of Timothée Chalamet for a prequel story.

While there was some brief backstory in Tim Burton’s Depp-starring ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ (with Christopher Lee as Wonka’s dentist father), this new movie, from ‘Paddington’ writer/director Paul King will focus on a younger Willy Wonka, here played by Chalamet.

What’s the story of ‘Wonka’?

Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka in 'Wonka.' Photo by Eric Charbonneau.

Written by King with his regular collaborator Simon Farnaby, ‘Wonka’ promises to be a musical journey exploring how a young Wonka became the master chocolatier we meet when the gates to his factory swing open in the other adaptations.

Here, he’s on voyages to find ingredients and techniques to help him figure out the candy world. But on his return to London, Willy realizes that he’ll face an even bigger challenge than he thought –– there is a chocolate cartel in place, and you can’t get a shop without selling chocolate… and you can’t sell chocolate without a shop. Talk about a Catch-22!

Yet while we all know it’ll turn out okay for our hero, the story of how he got to that point should at least be bright and amusing, with Chalamet channeling a little of both Wilder and Depp, while bringing his own take to the character.

Director King, meanwhile, has proved he knows how to make entertaining movies based on an iconic character with ‘Paddington’ and its sequel. He’s also no stranger to quirky leading figured after his work on cult UK TV series ‘The Mighty Boosh’.

Though we have to admit, beyond a music flourish at the end and glimpses of dance numbers, this trailer isn’t pushing the musical element particularly strongly.

Still, the highlight here might just be at the end, where we discover –– as revealed during Warner Bros.’ CinemaCon presentation –– that Hugh Grant is playing an Oompa Loompa in the film. The squat orange fellows with bright green hair who end up doing the grunt work in the chocolate factory are introduced to our hero here.

Who else is in ‘Wonka’?

(L to R) 'Wonka's Timothée Chalamet and Calah Lane at CinemaCon 2023. Photos by Eric Charbonneau.

The extensive supporting cast includes Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Mathew Baynton, Sally Hawkins (a ‘Paddington veteran), Rowan Atkinson, Jim Carter, Olivia Colman, Natasha Rothwell, Rich Fulcher, Rakhee Thakrar, Tom Davis and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith.

Chalamet appears to be excited for people to see the movie and was happy working on it.

Here’s what he told Vogue back in May:

“To work on something that will have an uncynical young audience, that was just a big joy. That’s why I was drawn to it. In a time and climate of intense political rhetoric, when there’s so much bad news all the time, this is hopefully going to be a piece of chocolate.”

‘Wonka’ will be in theaters on December 15th.