Warner Bros has decided to continue with their plans to head back into the world of pure imagination with Wonka. The new film will serve as a prequel to the beloved Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Variety shared that the project has been in development for quite a few years. However, it wasn’t until recently that it started to pick up some major steam. Warner Bros has shared that they hope to begin casting for the film soon.
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They already have quite a few people on Wonka, including David Heyman as producer. He is working from a script written by Simon Rich. Paul King will be directing the film. Plot details for the film have been kept under wraps, but we know that it will focus on the early life of Willy Wonka. Everything we currently know about the eccentric candyman’s early life comes from Tim Burton‘s 2005 reboot of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In this version, we see Johnny Depp‘s portrayal of the character as an oddball recluse whose father was a dentist that loathed sugary treats.
It is unclear if this is the true canon or if Warner Bros will rewrite Willy Wonka’s past with this new film. It is also uncertain if we will be seeing other familiar characters like everyone’s favorite helpers, the Oompa Loompas. My theory is that Wonka will go through Willy Wonka’s early life leading up to his factory’s opening and maybe the first few years of candy production. It will be interesting to see what events transpire to lead Willy Wonka to a life of candy making and explain more about the spies that forced him to close the doors to his factory.
Warner Bros has shared their goal is for Wonka to release theatrically on March 17, 2023. Let us know how excited you are to be heading back to this sugary nostalgic treat in the comments below!