1971's musical adventure extravaganza Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory would become one of the defining films of the genre, but at the time of opening, the title would only enjoy modest success. From subsequent video sales that made the movie a classic, Gene Wilder would be synonymous with the role of the eccentric factory owner up until his passing last year.
Now Canada's own Ryan Gosling has been linked with the part. As a prequel to the original is in the works from Warner Brothers. No suggestion has been made about the tone or narrative for the script. But, with the success of La La Land behind him, the 36-year old is in prime position to become a 21st Century version of the candy store icon.
Outside the Boundaries But Inside the Beltway For Gosling
Predating the events that led to Charlie Bucket's wild ride with Wonka and co., That Hashtag Show explains that Gosling and the studio are on the same page for the prequel. The feature will likely fill in many of the plot holes regarding Wonka's past exploits and how he came about acquiring the Chocolate Factory.
"Warner Brothers is currently looking for a male actor between the ages of 29 and 35," they reported. "Ryan Gosling is currently in the lead as he has expressed interest in portraying the infamous chocolate factory owner."
One year removed from that qualification, obviously Warner Brothers don't see 36 as too much of a stretch.
Actor Drawn To Ambiguous Science-Fiction Tale
While that is a potentially exciting project on the horizon for Gosling, it is the October 6 premiere of Blade Runner 2049 that has much of Hollywood abuzz with anticipation. The versatile performer told THR during the CineEurope event that the opportunity to be included in the sequel to the 1982 hit was too good to pass up.
"It's iconic for a reason," he argued. "It's a very deep and powerful and haunting film. It leaves you with more questions than answers and, as a kid, I wasn't used to that. I was used to things being sewn up for me. It was exciting as a fan to know that some of those questions might get answered, and to go back into that universe and explore that world and see how things evolved."
Director Denis Villeneuve recalled how much influence Ridley Scott had for the follow up, transitioning from the hot seat to a producer some 35-years later.
"When Ridley decided to make a sequel, the first thing he did was to ask Harrison (Ford) if he would be interested, because it would have been impossible to make the movie without him," he said. "So I had to meet Harrison, and have a discussion about what I wanted to do with the movie, so he felt comfortable with me taking the wheel."
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