Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, revealed he almost starred in Tim Burton’s 2005 remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The acclaimed Roald Dahl novel was first adapted in 1971 under the title of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
For many fans of the original novel, the 1971 adaptation, which starred Gene Wilder in the role of Willy Wonka, was a true masterpiece. The film created an excellent balance between childlike wonder and creepy atmospheric tension, employing trippy visuals that helped cement a cult following. When filmmaker Tim Burton decided to remake the film in 2005, some fans of the original objected to the idea. Still, many more were very intrigued to see what the man who made such wonderfully bizarre films as Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice could do with the story. The biggest question of that time, however, was who Burton would cast to play the highly eccentric (and slightly mad) Willy Wonka. When it was revealed that Johnny Depp was cast, his superstar status of the time made even those initially critical of a remake eager to see where he would take the character under Burton’s guidance.
However, with time often comes clarity – particularly in the case of casting decisions. In an Instagram post from Dwayne Johnson, the one-time pro-wrestler now turned highly successful actor revealed that he had initially been considered for the role of Willy Wonka. In his characteristically humble and grateful way, Johnson stated that the possibility came at a time when he had yet to gain any real understanding of how Hollywood worked. And although the role eventually went to Depp, Johnson also revealed that he values the dreams that don’t come true, because “…sometimes they’re the best thing that never happened.” Check out Johnson’s full quote below:
Imagining Johnson in a role as quirky as that of Willy Wonka is arguably even more bizarre than what Depp eventually came up with. Johnson was nowhere near being the household name in 2005 as he is today, so picturing how he would have portrayed the character is tough. As Johnson himself admits, he was just breaking into the business at the time and had no idea who he was as an actor or how Hollywood functioned. Today it seems that Johnson can take on almost any role thrown at him, but in 2005 it’s hard to see him having had enough experience to pull off a character as layered as Willy Wonka. Depp ended up doing a decent enough job, and Burton’s film was a mild success, but even today, the 1971 original adaptation remains the more popular of the two.
At the same time, however, it’s great to see that Burton was considering casting a relatively unknown minority actor in a role that was so steeply grounded in tradition. Fans of Johnson might feel that it’s a shame he wasn’t ultimately cast as Wonka, but it certainly hasn’t held his career back in any way. Johnson has become such an instantly recognizable figure that it’s clear today how unsuited he was for the role in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. And while Depp’s portrayal of Wonka was interesting, today it feels almost impossible for any actor to nail the character in the same way that the late, great Gene Wilder did.
Source: Dwayne Johnson via Instagram