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Timothée Chalamet invites you to view paradise as he brings to life a new take on literary icon Willy Wonka in the aptly titled Wonka - a prequel to the 1971 classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. While not the first film to explore the humble beginnings of everyone's favorite chocolatier (that honor goes to Tim Burton's divisive remake, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), this new take on the beloved character sees how Wonka went from a humble salesman into the proprietor of a magical candy empire, even including his first meeting with an Oompa-Loompa (Hugh Grant). Early reviews of Wonka have already praised the Willy Wonka origin story as a delightful, heartwarming triumph, which is to be expected from the filmmaker behind the Paddington film Paul King.
Also being widely praised ahead of Wonka's release is Timothée Chalamet's performance as a young Willy Wonka, which represents quite a departure for the Oscar-nominated actor compared to his prior films. While he's no stranger to comedic roles, Chalamet is certainly most at home with playing morally complex and occasionally brooding protagonists, so a lighthearted musical blockbuster is certainly new territory for one of the industry's finest actors.
To learn more about the iconic role of Willy Wonka, how Timothée Chalamet got the role, what's next for the actor, and more, then read below to enter a world of pure imagination.
Wonka
FantasyAdventurechildrenFamilyBased on the extraordinary character at the center of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 'Wonka' tells the wondrous story of how the world's greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker became the beloved Willy Wonka we know today.
Release Date December 15, 2023 Director Paul King Cast Timothee Chalamet , Hugh Grant , Olivia Colman , Keegan Michael Key , Rowan Atkinson , Sally Hawkins Main Genre Fantasy Studio Warner Bros. Writers Simon Farnaby , Paul King , Roald Dahl ExpandWho Played Willy Wonka Before Timothée Chalamet?
CloseBy far the most iconic take on the Roald Dahl character of Willy Wonka is by Young Frankenstein, actor Gene Wilder. A legendary and one-of-a-kind comedy icon, Wilder became a timeless film legend partially thanks to his famously endearing chocolate factory tour guide. Though a funny character through and through, Wilder's performance also captures a dark side to the character, being willing to test people and even children to their limits to uncover who they are as people. Wilder's Wonka is also well-known for his unpredictable nature and deadpan sense of humor, as he educates and tests the five children selected to visit his factory to see who will become its next owner.
Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory dramatically reinvented the beloved story, which stars a virtually unrecognizable Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka. Overall, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory follows the same general plot as the book and the 1971 film. Depp's more juvenile Wonka is portrayed as a more vulnerable and flawed character. As mentioned, Depp's take on Wonka delves much deeper into the character's origins, exploring how he became obsessed with sweets against the will of his dentist father (Christopher Lee). Thankfully, with the help of young Charlie (Freddie Highmore), Wonka is able to reconcile with his father after finding his displaced house in a frozen tundra (which is weird even by Roald Dahl standards).
What Did Timothée Chalamet Star In Before 'Wonka'?
Before putting on the famous top hat, Chalamet was an accomplished child actor, who started his career with smaller roles in Law & Order, Homeland, and Interstellar. We would argue that Timothée Chalamet's big break came in the form of Call Me By Your Name - the provocative Luca Guadagnino-directed drama that sees young Elio (Timothée Chalamet) start a romantic affair with an older man named Oliver (Armie Hammer). Not only did the film serve as an excellent star vehicle for the relatively unknown actor at the time, but it would also mark the first time Chalamet would be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.
Chalamet's career only went up from there, as he would go on to have prominent roles in other critically acclaimed films. This includes frequent collaborations with Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Greta Gerwig, with Chalamet having significant parts in the coming-of-age story Lady Bird and the period piece novel adaptation Little Women. Chalamet would also go on to flirt with more comedic parts in movies like Wes Anderson's The French Dispatch and Adam McKay's Don't Look Up.
Timothée Chalamet would get his first blockbuster franchise role when he was cast as the lead character of Paul Atreides in Denis Villeneuve's hugely anticipated adaptation of Dune. Based on the hugely acclaimed sci-fi series, Dune sees Chalamet star as a young prince who is forced to become a leader when his family is betrayed, and he becomes lost in the desert planet of Arrakis. Chalamet is also set to star in Dune: Part Two and will likely be in the announced third film of Dune: Messiah.
High School Projects Helped Timothée Chalamet Get the Lead Role of 'Wonka'
Being Timothée Chalamet's first full-blown musical, one would expect the actor to have some experience in musical theater. He does, but according to Chalamet, the last time he sang in a semi-professional setting was in high school. This seemingly made Chalamet the underdog for the role compared to MCU Spider-Man star Tom Holland, the reported runner-up for Wonka, who has plenty of musical theater experience.
Believe it or not, director Paul King reportedly offered Chalamet the part of Willy Wonka after seeing his musical performances on YouTube. The videos, which have since gone viral following the actor's rise in popularity, show beyond any reasonable doubt that Chalamet is more than capable of singing, dancing, and having a marvelous stage presence. It may have been a while since he warmed up his singing voice, but if the early reviews of Wonka are any indication, he's still more than capable of leading a musical number.
What's Next for Timothée Chalamet After 'Wonka'?
As mentioned earlier, the first project of Chalamet's to follow Wonka will be Dune: Part Two, which will continue Paul Atreides' journey to controlling the planet of Arrakis. Chalamet will also likely have a significant part in the franchise's announced third installment, Dune: Messiah. After that, Chalamet was also attached to play renowned musician Bob Dylan in an all-new biopic titled A Complete Unknown.
Wonka sings into theaters on Friday, December 15th. Both Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are currently streaming on Max.
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