Rowan Atkinson, Sally Hawkins, and Olivia Colman star alongside Timothee Chalamet in Warner Bros.’ ‘Wonka’.
Wonka, Warner Bros. Pictures’ upcoming prequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, has officially begun filming. Timothee Chalamet (Dune, Call Me By Your Name) plays a young Willy Wonka in the film, which is directed by Paul King (Paddington films). While this is a new take on the source material, it is based on Roald Dahl’s original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory story.
The full cast of Wonka has also been revealed. Along with Timothée Chalamet as Willy, Wonka stars Rowan Atkinson (Johnny English, Mr. Bean), Mathew Baynton (The Wrong Mans, Ghosts), Jim Carter (Downton Abbey), Oscar winner Olivia Colman (The Favourite), Tom Davis (Paddington 2, King Gary), Simon Farnaby (Paddington movies, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), Rich Fulcher (Marriage Story), Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water, Paddington movies, Spencer), Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Paddington 2, Zack Snyder’s Justice League), Paterson Joseph (Vigil), Emmy and Peabody Award winner Keegan-Michael Key (Schmigadoon), Calah Lane (The Day Shall Come), Matt Lucas (Paddington, Little Britain), Colin O’Brien (The Mothership), Natasha Rothwell (White Lotus, Insecure), Rakhee Thakrar (Sex Education), and Ellie White (The Other One).
According to the official logline for Wonka, “Chalamet leads a star-studded ensemble in an origin story that explores the vivid, mythical beginnings of the imaginative young inventor before he becomes the renowned scrumdiddlyumptious Mozart of chocolate.” In other words, this is a prequel story about Willy Wonka’s transformation from an ordinary young man with a sweet tooth into the world’s most famous – and eccentric – candymaker.
Paul King directs from a screenplay he co-wrote with Paddington 2 co-writer Simon Farnaby (with prior writers including Simon Rich, Simon Stephenson, Jeff Nathanson, and Steven Levenson). Michael Siegel and Rosie Alison serve as executive producers. Behind-the-scenes creative team for King includes Oscar-nominated director of photography Seamus McGarvey, Oscar-nominated production designer Nathan Crowley, editor Mark Everson, and Oscar-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming. Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy is writing original songs for the film.
Oscar-nominated producer David Heyman (Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood), who worked on the Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, and Paddington films, has joined the cast. Wonka is being produced by Luke Kelly, who produced the recent feature adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Witches as well as the upcoming Matilda, and Alexandra Derbyshire, who executive produced the Paddington films and the upcoming Jurassic World: Dominion.
Willy Wonka was famously played by Gene Wilder in the original film adaptation, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, which was released in 1971. The film is widely regarded as one of the greatest works of cinema of all time, with many fans recently returning to watch it in celebration of its 50th anniversary. In 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Johnny Depp played a new Willy Wonka. Both Wilder and Depp have fans who prefer their versions of the story. It remains to be seen where Timothee Chalamet will fit in once Wonka joins the fray.
Wonka is currently shooting in the United Kingdom. The film will be released in theaters on March 17, 2023, and will be distributed globally by Warner Bros. Pictures.