It’s going to be a busy fall for Timothée Chalamet. In November, Chalamet is headlining the highly-anticipated sci-fi sequel, Dune: Part Two from Warner Bros. and Legendary. And just over a month later, Warner Bros. will release Wonka, Chalamet’s second film of the holiday season. Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp previously portrayed the iconic candy maker in 1971 and 2005 within Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, respectively. But this new film isn’t a remake, it’s essentially Wonka Begins, the previously untold origin of Roald Dahl’s unforgettable character.
The newly released trailer seems to veer away from the oddly mean-spirited take that Tim Burton used in 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as Willie is younger and more idealistic than Depp’s interpretation of the character. This version of Willy Wonka actually appears to care about other people, and he’s unafraid to follow his dream even when the malevolent chocolate cartel threatens to derail his efforts before they’ve truly begun.
Hugh Grant makes a brief appearance in the trailer as an Oompa-Loompa, one of the strange men that served Wonka in his chocolate factory in the original story. Although we don’t get to hear the song of this Oompa-Loompa, the music appears to be a direct callback to the tunes from 1971’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Keegan-Michael Key also stars in the film alongside Rowan Atkinson, Sally Hawkins, Olivia Colman, Jim Carter, Matt Lucas
Natasha Rothwell, Tom Davis, Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Rich Fulcher, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, and Paterson Joseph as Arthur Slugworth. Given the events shown in the trailer, there’s a better than even chance that most of their characters will have transformative experiences if they dare to eat Wonka’s candy.
Paul King directed the film and co-wrote the script with Simon Farnaby. Wonka will hit theaters on Friday, December 15.
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