Wonka has found its Willy Wonka in Timothée Chalamet. The actor will be playing the world’s most famous chocolatier in the musical based on his early life.
Plot details are being kept under wraps, but the Warner Bros. prequel will follow the upbringing of Willy Wonka. Chalamet will be singing and dancing in the film.
Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is about a boy named Charlie Bucket who wins a golden ticket to tour Willy Wonka’s world-famous chocolate factory. The upcoming film takes place before the chocolate factory, which means Charlie and the other kids won’t be in Wonka.
Wonka was portrayed by Gene Wilder in the 1971 film adaption titled Willy Wonky and the Chocolate Factory and Johnny Depp played the role in 2005’s reboot Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Paul King (Paddington) is directing with David Heyman (Paddington and Harry Potter) producing the film based on a script by Simon Rich. Production is expected to start in September with the film scheduled to debut on March 17, 2023.
Chalamet will be in several films this year including Dune, The French Dispatch, and Don’t Look Up. He’s also playing Bob Dylan in Going Electric.
