Current favorite, Timothee Chalamet, tapped to play young Willy Wonka
Oscar-nominated actor Timothee Chalamet has been tapped to star in a Willy Wonka origin story. He will play a younger version of the chocolatier in the Warner Bros. film titled Wonka. The iconic character has been previously portrayed by legendary actors like Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp. Warner Bros. and the Roald Dahl Story Co. have confirmed the project, with Chalamet as the lead.
'Wonka' is expected to release in March 2023
Wonka will be tracing back the origin of the maverick character, a plot no previous rendition has touched upon. The exact plot detail is being kept a secret for now, and the film is expected to release sometime in March 2023. Interestingly, this will be Chalamet's first musical film. The actor is known for his dramatic roles, a thing reflected in his past ventures.
'Thor: Ragnarok' director also working on separate Willy Wonka projects
Paul King, known for his Paddington films, will be helming Wonka. Writers from the previous Willy Wonka films including Simon Rich, Simon Stephenson, Jeff Nathanson, and Steven Levenson have helped out King and Simon Farnaby with the screenplay. To note, Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi is also working on two separate animated series for Netflix, based on the world famous candy maker.
Earlier, Wilder, Depp did a stellar job portraying the character
The character was first brought to celluloid by Wilder in 1971 (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory), which showed him as the eccentric owner of Wonka Chocolate Factory. The film earned $4mn in its original run, which in 2021 terms is $26mn. Then came Depp with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), directed by Tim Burton. It received positive reviews, and grossed $475mn worldwide.
At just 22, Chalamet has already been nominated for Oscars
For now, Chalamet has many potential blockbusters up his sleeve. He'll be seen in the film Dune next, while also starring in Wes Anderson's upcoming film The French Dispatch and Don't Look Up, with Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence. At just 22, he was nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars for his performance in the 2017 film Call Me by Your Name.
