Wonka

With a swinging cane, an unmistakable brown top hat, and a velvet long coat, everybody knows Willy Wonka. But before he became the chair of the chocolate factory and pioneer of candy that inspired kids worldwide, Wonka was just a person in search of a calling. Questing for a purpose with no earthly way of knowing in which direction he is going, Wonka must learn to trust himself and those around him in order to thrive. Peculiar as he is, the young man attracts all manner of strange things to him. Traveling through unknown worlds, he meets his companions, the Oompa-Loompas, for the first time. Their meeting will change his fate forever and challenge the young chocolatier to meet his fate head-on and become the tinkering artist in a factory of dreams.

What to know

Wonka is an upcoming musical fantasy film based on the character Willy Wonka from the Roald Dahl children’s story Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The movie is distributed by Warner Bros. and produced by David Heyman, the producer who first secured the film rights to the Harry Potter books. Wonka is directed by British writer and director Paul King. King is best known as the architect behind the animated Paddington movies which earned him multiple BAFTA nominations. Simon Farnaby handles the screenplay of the movie after his work on Paddington 2 with Paul King. Chung Chung-hoon is handling the cinematography and is known for his work on the Obi-Wan Kenobi television series.

Bringing Wonka to life is Hollywood heartthrob and award-winning actor Timothee Chalamet. He leads a cast of acclaimed acting talents including comedians Keegan-Michael Key, Rowan Atkinson, and Richard Fulcher. Olivia Colman and Sally Hawkins bring a little stardust to a cast that also includes Jim Carter, Matthew Baynton, and Tom Davis. Welsh costume designer Lindy Hemming oversees the cast costumes which will play an important part in the style of the picture. Hemming has worked on an array of impressive movies and even has an Academy Award to her name for Best Costume Design. Neil Hannon provides original songs for the film.

Where to stream

Wonka is set to be released in cinemas on 15th December 2023. While no streaming partner has been confirmed, given that the movie is distributed by Warner Bros., it could see a release on HBO Max.

Production: Timeline, news & updates

• October 19, 2016: Warner Bros. Pictures announced they had acquired the rights to the character and were producing a film with David Heyman and Michael Siegel. (Source: Variety)
• February 12, 2018: Paul King was confirmed to be in negotiations to direct the movie. (Source: The Hollywood Reporter)
• January 19, 2021: The movie was officially titled Wonka and Paul King was confirmed as the director. (Source: Deadline)
• May 24, 2021: Timothee Chalamet was confirmed to be playing the titular role. The movie was revealed to include a selection of musical numbers. (Source: Deadline)
• September 13, 2021: Keegan-Michael Key, Olivia Colman, Jim Carter, Rowan Atkinson and Sally Hawkins were all confirmed to be in the cast. (Source: Deadline)
• October 15, 2021: Set photos reveal that filming began in Lyme Regis and Bath in the United Kingdom. (Source: Somerset Live)
• March 9, 2022: Wonka was given a new release date of December 15, 2023.(Source: Deadline)