Timothée Chalamet is set to star as a young Willy Wonka in a forthcoming origin story from Warner Bros. and the Roald Dahl Company.
Deadline reported on Monday that the story will center around the characters set forth by the 1964 children’s novel, later brought to the silver screen in the 1971 Mel Stuart film starring Gene Wilder. The film received worldwide acclaim and is still actively a part of the cultural zeitgeist. The 2005 Tim Burton remake starring Johnny Depp, however, remains largely forgettable, and the less spoken of it the better.
Part of the allure for both the production and Chalamet is the opportunity for the talented actor to show off his singing and dancing skills. Though he has plenty of stage experience, Chalamet hasn’t previously been given the roles to show off his showmanship prowess. Instead, to date the actor has risen to acclaim via numerous dramatic performances.
Chalamet was considered the top pick for the part for some time. However, scheduling conflicts delayed the confirmation, with a prolonged training and rehearsal period needed for the musical numbers.
The film is set to be directed by Paul King, who previously directed “Paddington” and “Paddington 2.” The current iteration of the screenplay is co-written by King and Simon Farnaby. Previous versions of the script were penned by Simon Rich, Simon Stephenson, Jeff Nathanson, and Steven Levenson.
Warner Bros. confirmed that the Willy Wonka origin story flick is currently set for March 17, 2023, release date.
