The 1971 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and the 2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, are gaining another movie to add to the fantasy film storyline. The Willy Wonka we know loves has a deep and tangible love for chocolate and his chocolate making midgets, Oompa Loompas. The 2005 film was directed by Tim Burton and showcased eye-popping colors and a magical twist on Roald Dahl’s classic children’s tale. The 2023 Wonka has the potential to knock the other films out the ballpark if it manages to pull a few heart strings and even some nostalgia.
The exact plot point details remain hush-hush, though the July trailer gave a taste of what we will be seeing in the December film. We get a peek at how the famous and chocolate engrossed factory owner built his empire. The Willy Wonka movies have become inspiration for many other fantasy films, and that is what makes these films surreal in their direction. The remarkably expressive direction of Tim Burtons, “Charlie and The Chocolate Factory”, became so versed within the cinematography and creative realm. The leads of this film are subpar with the heart throb, Timothée Chalamet, as the Willy Wonka. Joining the actor is the miniature yet unnerving, Hugh Grant as a tiny, green-haired Oompa Loompa; Olivia Colman as a Cockney-accented innkeeper; Sally Hawkins as Wonka’s loving mother. The film we be that of a musical and will have sever enchanting musical numbers.
Moreover, the musical dance number was given to Timothée Chalamet, after the director watched a load of his high school musical performances. Director Paul King said on the British Vogue’s October 2022 issue, “It was a straight offer [without an audition] because he’s great and he was the only person in my mind who could do it, because he’s Timothée Chalamet and his life is so absurd, his high school musical performances are on YouTube and have hundreds of thousands of views,” King gave Timothée the role of a lifetime and has no regrets of doing so.
The Wonka film is due to land in theatres before Christmas on December 15, 20223. The long and agonizing wait is finally coming to end as the fans of Timothée Chalamet, as Timothée shared the first image of filming back in October 2021. With all the promotion and exposure this movie has been given, I believe this will could be the Christmas movie of the year, with its much nostalgic hits.
Works Cited
Seth, Radhika. “Everything We Know so Far about Timothée Chalamet’s Surreal, Candy-Colored New Musical ‘Wonka.’” Vogue, Vogue, 24 July 2023, www.vogue.com/article/everything-we-know-so-far-about-wonka.
