After a long hiatus, the eccentric chocolatier, Willy Wonka will once again be returning to the big screen. However, this Wonka will certainly be slightly different from the one we grew up on, Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp’s wacky Wonkas will be replaced with a younger more naive Wonka played by Timothee Chalamet. The prequel to Roald Dahls ‘Charlie and The Chocolate Factory’ will follow the rise of a young Willy Wonka and how he came to meet the Oompa Loompas on one of his early adventures.
The all-star cast not only includes the 2020’s favorite young heartthrob Chalamet but also some of the most celebrated individuals from the comedy world; Michael Kegan Key, Matt Lucas, Rowan Atkinson, Sally Hawkins, and Oscar winner Olivia Coleman. If the cast is any indication of the kind of movie director Paul king has created we are certainly in for a dramatic telling of Wonkas story with plenty of comic relief. Director Paul King has a long history with comedic family-oriented films like the Paddington the Bear movies, which earned him several Bafta nominations. The long line of success ensures that Wonka and his legacy are surely in safe hands as King’s creative vision certainly speaks for itself.
The musical fantasy will put Chalamet in an entirely n new position, as he apparently has 7 musical numbers, this new direction for the young actor will allow us to see an entirely new side of him and his skills. The young actor who began his career as a teenager has made his mark in Hollywood, while his acting speaks for itself, the actor has also received an academy award nomination, two golden globes, and three BAFTA film awards. This long list of awards is mainly the result of Chalamets ability to act in very serious and intense roles while still maintaining a touch of innocence that makes his performances extremely rare and moving. However, the role of Wonka could pose a new challenge for the young actor, as he will not only be performing musical numbers but it is also a more comedic and child-friendly role. With intense performances from Chalamet like Ladybug, Call me by Your Name, and Beautiful Boy, it is difficult to see how he will adapt to this new light-hearted role.
However, despite Chalamets inexperience in this field, he is in good company as the cast and directors of Wonka are not only professionals in comedic and child-oriented movies, but so is the Oscar-winning costume designer. Lindy Hemming won an academy award for the 1999 film Topsy Turvy, while this film was certainly not PG it had an eccentric costume design that reflects the garments we will likely see in Wonka. Hemming’s ability to capture the essence of a specific time period while still allowing a creative thread to flow through each costume has allowed her to add something special to the period pieces she has worked on. The designer’s long career makes her role in bringing WIlly Wonka to life extremely exciting, the eccentric character is not only a fictional person but an embodiment of childhood for generations of people. Needless to say, his costume needs to represent everything that he is and holds, something Hemming will likely produce.
