Timothée Chalamet reveals a first look image for his upcoming film Wonka, where he plays the iconic candy maker created by Roald Dahl. Already the star of two feature films, plus an in-development Netflix animated series, Willy Wonka will once again step into the spotlight with a new prequel movie directed by Paul King (Paddington). Officially announced earlier this year, Wonka will debut in theaters in March 2023 and offer a new story for the well-known character. Chalamet was officially cast in May, and production kicked off recently.
In addition to Chalamet, Wonka stars Keegan Michael-Key, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, and Olivia Colman. Plot details are still being kept under wraps, but it's certain that the movie will explore Willy Wonka's origins and adventures from before he opened up his world famous chocolate factory. When Chalamet was cast, it was said Wonka will contain some dance numbers, though it isn't clear if the movie itself is being declared a musical.
On Sunday, Chalamet surprised fans by posting the very first picture of himself in character as Willy Wonka. The image reveals him in classic Victorian clothes with, naturally, a brown top hat. In a second slide, Chalamet shares an up-close peek at another famous Wonka accessory: His cane. "The suspense is terrible, I hope it will last ..." Chalamet wrote as the caption. Check out the post down below.
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Though the hat and the walking stick add Wonka-esque flairs to Chalamet's costume, the overall look feels like it could fit in any kind of classic tale. That doesn't mean it's a bad look; in fact, Chalamet looks delightfully mischievous in this first Wonka shot, hinting his version of the character will be more malevolent than past iterations. Wonka will be touching on untapped aspects of Willy's character, and it already feels like the prequel is leaning into that. Hopefully, this movie will take on its own distinct style while still harking back to Dahl's original story.
Many were surprised not only by the news that Willy Wonka is getting an origin story, but also that Chalamet will be the one to play him. Until more is known about Wonka, it'll be hard to make a full judgement call about the project. Still, this is an intriguing first look, and it'll be interesting to see how the rest of the movie takes shape. Cast members from the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory gave Wonka their blessing, which also bodes well for the new film. With production now well underway, its full steam ahead Chalamet's latest starring role.
Source: Timothée Chalamet/Instagram
