THR reports that Willy Wonka is getting another film, as Warner Brothers decides that a gritty reboot is in order. Simon Rich of Man Seeking Woman fame will be writing the script to the new picture. As expected, it will focus on the eccentric character before he gave tours around the infamous Chocolate Factory. Apparently there is a market for that.
Warner Brothers not so much found a golden ticket to this production, but bought it outright. They acquired the rights to the Willy Wonka IP from the Roald Dahl estate, as they look to tell the story of the chocolatier's back story to outline how he got to that lofty position. Prequel alert!
Reboot Not To Tie In With Previous Installments Or Planning A Franchise
Michael Siegel and David Heyman will be the executive producers, the latter of which worked on the Harry Potter spin off feature Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them this year. This remake/spin off/prequel is said to be a "stand alone" movie but some are indicating that more could come depending on its reception at the box office. Essentially they are letting the public decide their fate on the project.
Whether they will want to branch off and see the origins of the Oompa Loompas or Charlie Bucket could open up a Marvel/DC type extended universe. Just as long as Warner Brothers sees the money flowing in, but it would be fair to remain skeptical about such prospects. This appears like another move to tap into that nostalgia button as fresh features struggle to gain traction in the market. Or as South Park puts it, Member Berries!
Both Editions Well Received By Fans and Critics
The 1971 original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory was Gene Wilder at his best, arguably the best role the late actor performed throughout his illustrious career. Then Johnny Depp gave his unique interpretation in 2005 via Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, not wanting to imitate Wilder in any way but offer a modern twist in a Tim Burton fashion.
So essentially the "franchise" for lack of a better term is two for two. And this is why Warner Brothers are keen to give it another spin. We've seen the Chocolate Factory done now for nearly 4 hours of viewing, so exploring how he developed into the mysterious figure could be interesting.
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