Timothée Chalamet to star as young Willy Wonka in prequel film

Titled Wonka, the prequel film will explore Willy Wonka's days of upbringing, and how he became the famous chocolatier
Timothée Chalamet to star as young Willy Wonka in prequel film

Timothée Chalamet has been roped in to play a younger version of the famous chocolatier character Willy Wonka in the upcoming musical, Wonka. The prequel will explore Willy Wonka's days of upbringing, and how he became the famous chocolatier. Further details are currently kept under wraps.

Fans remember the character well from the 1971 Mel Stuart film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and the 2005-reboot Charlie and the Chocolate Factory directed by Tim Burton. Gene Wilder portrayed Willy Wonka in the former, while Johnny Depp embodied the role in Burton's reimagination.

The franchise is based on Roald Dahl’s popular children’s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, a story that follows a poor boy named Charlie Bucket, who wins a golden ticket to tour the world-famous, heavily guarded chocolate factory run by Willy Wonka.

Wonka will reportedly not feature appearances from Charlie and the company since the prequel takes place before the chocolate factory opened.

British filmmaker Paul King, best known for the Paddington filmsis in talks to direct Wonka. Based on a script by Simon Rich, the movie will be produced by David Heyman. The production of the film is expected to begin in September, with the movie currently scheduled to hit theatres on March 17, 2023.

Meanwhile, Chalamet has several movies coming out, including Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, Wes Anderson's The French Dispatch and Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up. He will also play Bob Dylan in the biopic Going Electric.

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