Tom Holland and Timothée Chalamet are rumoured to be the two front-runners for the role of Willy Wonka in a new prequel to the Chocolate Factory fantasy.
It’s a battle of the skinny white boy kings as Spiderman and Little Women actors Tom Holland and Timothée Chalamet are in contention to play the role of chocolate connoisseur Willy Wonka.
The prequel, titled Wonka, will be brought to life by Paddington director Paul King who plans to revive the famous chocolatier by focusing more on Wonka’s younger years in the factory, before the events of the films.
The character of Willy Wonka was first brought to the screen in 1971’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, when Gene Wilder produced arguably the most definitive take on the literary icon.
With no casting announced yet for the movie, Collider reports that both Holland and Chalamet are considered to be in the running for one of Roald Dahl’s most famous parts.
I would absolutely watch that.
— Cameron Ward (@camseyeview) January 19, 2021
The last take on the Willy Wonka tale came from Tim Burton’s 2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, with Wonka portrayed by Johnny Depp, who had vivid flashbacks to his childhood with his father who was a dentist. In the film, Wonka’s father despises chocolate and won’t let his son near it, burning it in front of him.
However, it’s not certain whether these memories from the 2005 movie will be the basis of the film, or whether they will be in them at all.
If its the guy behind Paddington it’s something I’d actually watch
— Brandon is the name (@1911cowboy) January 19, 2021
While we can rule out the possibility of Johnny Depp reprising his role due to his splintered relationship with Warner Bros., earlier reports were claiming that Donald Glover was in the running for Wonka. However, updates have been few and far between.
Ok I’ll say it. I would like to see Donald Glovers take on Willy Wonka…. pic.twitter.com/iBn2faGxvl
— Gabriel Kunda (@GabeKunda) January 19, 2021
Wonka is planned to release March 17, 2023 with production due to commence sometime over the next few months.
