Wonka Trailer: Timothée Chalamet Transforms Into Willy Wonka
Before he was terrorizing children with traps meant to expose their fatal character flaws, Willy Wonka was just a kindly chocolatier — thrilled to take a sunrise, sprinkle it with dew, cover it with chocolate and a miracle or two! But where did his love of chocolate first begin? And how did he become the world's most beloved candy maker? All will be revealed when "Wonka" comes to theaters, pulling back the curtain on the character first introduced in Roald Dahl's 1964 children's novel, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Was anyone really banging down the door for a Willy Wonka origin story? Of course not! But if modern Hollywood is gonna give us anything, it's yet another unrequested prequel.
The film follows a young Willy Wonka and his adventures prior to opening the world-famous chocolate factory. Before Charlie and his golden tickets — but not quite before the Oompa Loompas — who was the man hellbent on bringing his pure imagination to life?
Ever since the movie was first announced, the jokes have basically been writing themselves: An origin story about the eccentric chocolatier who's extremely iffy on labor laws? He's being played by everyone's favorite heartthrob and teen rapper, Timothée Chalamet? But setting aside the set photos where he bears a striking resemblance to Gonzo the Great, and ignoring the fact that he was last seen resorting to cannibalism in "Bones & All," Chalamet has been making the rounds to assure us all that "Wonka" will be an absolute blast.
"This movie is so sincere, it's so joyous," Chalamet said in a 2022 Vogue profile. Well, the time has arrived for us to be the judge of that. Our first look at "Wonka" has arrived, so feature your eyes on Willy's musical origin story.
Watch the Wonka trailer
There may be 50 years between this and "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," but that doesn't change the fact that Timothée Chalamet has huge shoes to fill as Willy Wonka. The late, great Gene Wilder has been the face of the beloved candy man for multiple generations, so upholding that mantle is no breezy task. But so far, Chalamet seems to wear his top hat very well.
Boosting the "Wonka" promise of joy and sincerity, the film comes from director Paul King ("Paddington 1 & 2"), who co-wrote the film with Simon Farnaby ("Paddington 2"). Producers include David Heyman (of the "Harry Potter" franchise), Luke Kelly ("The Witches"), Michael Siegel ("Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"), and Alexandra Derbyshire ("Paddington"). Starring alongside Chalamet are Keegan-Michael Key, Sally Hawkins, Olivia Colman, Rowan Atkinson, Jim Carter, Natasha Rothwell, Matt Lucas, Tom Davis, Jim Carter, and more.
"Wonka" is scheduled to open in theaters on December 15, 2023.