Willy Wonka’s new origin story movie starring Timothee Chalamet needs to avoid the mistake of following in Joker’s path of exploring society’s role in crafting dark, weird personalities. Chalamet is set to star in Wonka, a musical detailing Willy Wonka’s life before the events in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The third Willy Wonka film from Warner Bros will be handled by Paddington director Paul King and, according to Deadline, is slated for a theatrical release date on March 17, 2023.
Willy Wonka, a solitary and odd chocolate factory owner, is based on a character from Roald Dahl’s novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The book inspired two blockbuster film adaptations, 1971’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory starring Gene Wilder as Wonka, and 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Johnny Depp. In the two movies, Wonka has closed off his factory to the public for many years citing industrial espionage or a general distrust of people stealing his recipes, suddenly sending out five Golden Tickets in his chocolate bars where the winners will get an exclusive tour of the factory. Wonka is made to be a bizarre figure in both adaptations, but Tim Burton’s 2005 version of the story involved dark flashbacks of Wonka’s unhappy childhood. It wouldn’t be a Burton adaptation without focusing on the dark and macabre critiques of society, but it nearly took away from the mystical adventure of the real story.
Hollywood has taken a recent interest in making commentaries on how the flaws of society and the treatment of outcasts can mold one into an exponentially terrifying, “weird” character rejected by the public. Joker was the peak of this method, explaining one of the most notorious villains in film history as a product of his expulsion from society for being unable to fit in. Disney is even taking up this strategy for its Cruella film starring Emma Stone, where the film will explore 101 Dalmatians' villain Cruella de Vil’s origin story as a punk-rock drifter obsessed with fashion turned notorious criminal. Wonka isn’t a dark criminal, though a popular fan theory suggests he may be a child serial killer, so turning his origin story into an extreme version of Burton’s commentary on society outcasting Wonka into an eclectic recluse doesn’t necessarily fit.
While Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory includes dark elements of greedy children meeting horrible demises and Wonka as an almost apathetically bizarre character, the core success of the 1971 Wonka film was its inspiration of wonder and colorful exploration similar to The Wizard of Oz. Both films include dark elements that relate to the flaws in human nature and society, but the reason they’re universally beloved and hold a following throughout multiple generations is their adventurous tone. The Wizard and Wonka share certain similarities, and Dorothy and Charlie are the extensions through which the film explores such odd characters that came into incredible influence. Chalamet’s origin for Wonka would also avoid the mistakes made by Oz the Great and Powerful’s wizard origin story, which was tonally inconsistent and flattened much of the magical essence of The Wizard of Oz.
The new Wonka film is already slated for several musical numbers reminiscent of the original film, hopefully scoring a more light-hearted tone about how he comes to riches, finds the Oompa Loompas, and becomes obsessed with candy and inventions. Just because one isn’t “normal” and has an odd obsession or demeanor doesn’t mean they came from a dark background or were cast out by general society, he may just have had experiences that led him to be a brilliant man that enjoys the sweetness of life and prefers a solitary existence. If Wonka takes the more joyful, inspiring route reminiscent of 1971’s version, the film can also be a new route for Chalamet, who has typically been involved in brooding, dramatic roles.
