In a role previously played by Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp, Timothee Chalamet becomes the next to don the persona of Willy Wonka, Roald Dahl’s iconic chocolatier, in an upcoming prequel that uncovers Wonka’s earliest infatuation with chocolate.
The initial trailer for “Wonka” was revealed on Tuesday, casting the 27-year-old star of “Dune” and “Call Me by Your Name” as a youthful interpretation of the legendary confectioner, just as he encounters cocoa beans, befriends a young orphan girl, and fantasizes about owning his chocolate boutique.
Scheduled for a December release, the film takes place before the events of the 1971 classic, “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” in which Wilder portrayed Wonka in the adaptation of Dahl’s cherished 1964 book, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”
“‘Wonka’ unfolds the untamed and mesmerizing narrative of Willy Wonka… his unique connection to chocolate and his unwavering ambition to become an exceptional chocolate connoisseur,” expressed Director Paul King at the trailer’s press launch, emphasizing his endeavour to remain “authentic” to Dahl’s original story in the scriptwriting process.
“He is a captivating and enigmatic character, and it was fascinating to delve deeper into his persona and attempt to envision something Roald Dahl might have endorsed had he ever decided to pen a prequel.”
Dahl’s original story chronicles the life of poor Charlie Bucket, who scores a golden ticket for a tour of Wonka’s chocolate factory alongside other children – the gluttonous Augustus Gloop, gum-obsessed Violet Beauregarde, spoilt Veruca Salt, and TV junkie Mike Teevee.
In the new film, Wonka is seen arriving in a fictional European city renowned for its master chocolatiers. Like Wilder and Depp in the 2005 remake “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” Chalamet sports Wonka’s trademark top hat and long coat.
“Chalamet has some immense shoes to fill, given the luminaries who’ve played the role before, but I firmly believe he does more than just meet expectations,” King commented.
“He successfully channels both the chaos and the mischief, all the while underpinned by a profound emotional depth.”
In addition to Chalamet, the trailer features glimpses of his well-known co-stars, including Olivia Colman, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, and Hugh Grant, who portrays an Oompa Loompa.
In what is set to be a fresh and intriguing exploration of one of literature’s most beloved characters, “Wonka” promises to weave an enchanting prequel filled with whimsy, chocolate, and the youthful adventures of a character that has spanned generations. With a cast that boasts talent like Chalamet, Colman, Hawkins, Atkinson, and Grant, audiences worldwide eagerly await the arrival of this imaginative journey into the chocolate-scented past of Willy Wonka, debuting this December.
