Roald Dahl’s all-time classic ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ is getting a revival thanks to the upcoming prequel film Wonka. Starring Timothée Chalamet as the iconic Willy Wonka, a new trailer for the film offers a glimpse into a fun-filled adventure. Let’s take a look at a trailer breakdown for Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka and learn more details about the film, including the confirmed cast, crew, and release date.
Breaking down Wonka’s first trailer
The trailer has made it clear that Wonka will be all about exploring the iconic titular character’s roots. As the tagline suggests, ‘Discover how Willy became… Wonka’. The film promises to dive deeply into the character’s background and discover more about him.
The first trailer for Wonka is full of stuff that dreams are made of: flying children, giant floating balloons, and animals parading in the streets. It truly lives up to the fantasy tag it boasts of.
Apart from the initial posters, this is the best look we’ve had so far at Timothée Chalamet as the Willy Wonka. The 26-year-old actor is in peak form as he showcases his purple-clad fanciness. He is all about building the most fantastic chocolate shop the world has ever seen.
In the process, young Wonka makes some stunning discoveries, like candy that makes people fly. This is a nod to the 1971 musical starring Gene Wilder, where Charlie and his grandfather float after drinking Willy Wonka’s fizzy soda.
Wonka’s confirmed cast and crew
Paul King, known for the Paddington films, directs Wonka. Harry Potter’s producer, David Heyman, is on board for the film. The film is written by Simon Rich.
As confirmed earlier, Wonka is a sequel to the story told in the Roald Dahl 1964 book, the Gene Wilder musical, and the 2005 remake with Johnny Depp. The confirmed cast members for the film include:
- Timothée Chalamet
- Calah Lane
- Keegan-Michael Key
- Paterson Joseph
- Matt Lucas
- Mathew Baynton
- Sally Hawkins
- Rowan Atkinson
- Jim Carter
- Tom Davis
- Olivia Colman
- Hugh Grant
- Natasha Rothwell
- Rich Fulcher
- Rakhee Thakrar
- Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
- Simon Farnaby
- Colin O’Brien
- Ellie White
- Murray McArthur
- Tracy Ifeachor
Social media reactions to the trailer
The trailer mainly received mixed reactions from social media users. Some felt Timothée Chalamet was miscast as Willy Wonka, as he doesn’t feel in sync with the iconic character.
Many drew comparisons to Johnny Depp’s all-time great performance in the 2005 film and said Timothée could not match up to that. Others felt the origin story treatment was a welcome take and believed in the Paddington director to pull off a great film.
The supporting cast also caught the eye of fans. People were excited to watch Rowan Atkinson share screen space. Some weren’t impressed with Hugh Grant’s casting as an Oompa Loompa, while others thought it was a genius move.
Most fans seemed to admit that the trailer brought on a wave of nostalgia: some from the Johnny Depp era and some from the Gene Wilder era. The film is scheduled to be released only in theaters on December 15 by Warner Bros. Pictures.
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