2023 Will Be a Year of Pure Imagination for Warner Bros. ‘Wonka’

On March 17, 2023, fans of the eccentric chocolatier, will witness the origin story of Roald Dahl’s beloved character, Willy Wonka. 

Paul King (Paddington) is directing the film with David Heyman (Harry Potter series, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) producing. King is also co-writing the screenplay with partner Simon Farnaby and Simon Rich wrote an earlier version of the story. 

Warner Bros. said in a statement the film, Wonka, will focus on “a young Willy Wonka and his adventures prior to opening the world’s most famous chocolate factory.”

No actors are announced for the project yet, but Collider reports that Timothée Chalamet and Tom Holland are the studio’s top choices for the lead role. 

I actually kind of like the idea of another actor doing a Wonka movie. He’s basically like a good guy the Joker. Might as well treat him like it

— Khail ✪ (@KhailAnonymous) January 20, 2021

This will be the third film with Willy Wonka as a leading character. Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp both portrayed the iconic character in 1971’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Fans of both performances are already claiming they “won’t be watching” any other performances.

Can Disney and Warner Bros stop trying to erase Johnny Depp’s work by hiring other actors to play his roles?
Jack Sparrow, Grindelwald and Willy Wonka are his! We don’t want and won’t be watching anyone else. pic.twitter.com/tNnb9KObwK

— Strawberry Fields ミ☆ (@sunflxwervolsix) January 19, 2021

Hey @wbpictures, if you’re definitely going to do a Willy Wonka prequel then you might as well go for a pre-teen or teen Wonka. Gene Wilder was in his late 30s for WW&tCF, and actors in their 20s/30s may make it seem like a reboot, not prequel.

— Jeff Ehren (@EhrenJeff) January 20, 2021

Meanwhile, other fans of the character are throwing in their wishlist for non-white actors to play the character.

Kinda want Janelle Monáe to play willy wonka if they’re gonna make a new film

— HOOD VOGUE is tired of poverty (@itskeyon) January 19, 2021

My top two choices for Willy Wonka are Jason Mantzoukas and Daveed Diggs. Both of them can play charming and psychotic perfectly and have a charm about them that screams Wonka. pic.twitter.com/4O6JZROjCJ

— Thomas Polito (@PolitoThomas) January 19, 2021

It is unknown if Wonka will be a prequel to the studio’s 2005 story that already introduced part of Willy Wonka’s backstory or if Wonka will serve as a standalone film, separate from any of the other productions.

The studio has not announced if any aspects of the original films or the novels (musical numbers or additional characters) will make an appearance in Wonka.

Wonka has been announced for a theatrical release on March 17, 2023.