TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET recently uploaded a photo of himself looking magical in his red velvet coat and brown top hat for his upcoming film, Wonka.
The 25-year-old reimagines the role of the famous chocolatier, Willy Wonka that was once portrayed by the late Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp.
Chalamet wrote on Instagram: “The suspense is terrible, I hope it will last,” referring to a line spoken by Wilder in the original 1971 adaptation, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
While the plot details for Wonka are sealed off, Warner Bros. explains the prequel will serve as an origin for Willy Wonka before he becomes the owner to his famous chocolate factory. The production also billed as a musical, and the American actor and one-time Oscar nominee is expected to sing and dance.
The iconic candymaker was the creation of famous author, the late Roald Dahl. The character made its debut in the 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which instantly became a worldwide hit.
The novel tells the story of a poor young boy named Charlie Bucket who wins a golden ticket to tour inside the astonishing and mysterious chocolate factory managed by Wonka.
The book has been adapted twice to the big screen, first directed by Mel Stuart in 1971 and Tim Burton in 2005.
When Burton took his own twist on the book, Depp’s role as Wonka was a more enigmatic person as opposed to Wilder’s inexpressive and peculiar character.
Burton’s take also stayed true to the source material where he centred around Charlie, his grandfather and the other children and their parents who experience catastrophe in the factory.
Depp’s mind-blowing performance as Willy Wonka seemed to be everyone’s favourite, as the film stands at No. 4 among the top five movies on HBO Max today.
Tellingly, instead of the whimsical purple coat and oversized bow tie of Wonka’s character in 1971, Chalamet’s costume appeared to be leaning more towards Depp’s aesthetic in Burton’s film.
The intriguing first look of Wonka will certainly be compared to the talented Depp, who is renowned for portraying strange film roles that usually leave a mark on the audience.
This latest revamp of the Willy Wonka story is directed by Paul King, who is a legend for directing children’s movies such as Paddington and Paddington 2.
Chalamet will be joined by other big stars, Rowan Atkinson, Keegan-Michael Key, Sally Hawkins and Olivia Colman. The film is set for release in March 2023.
