Article By: Carson Hunter
The fantasy world of Willy Wonka has captured the attention of young and old alike for nearly six decades. The thought of a mysteriously hidden factory containing a labyrinth of rooms with chocolate rivers and magical candy captivated me as a kid. After years of delays, the newest addition to the franchise, Wonka 2023, is set to release in theaters on December 15th. A new generation of children will be introduced to the origins of the eccentric factory owner, played by Timothée Chalamet, and how it all began.
Wonka 2023 Trailer
Wonka 2023 Plot
Wonka 2023 explores the unexplained past of eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka. This film follows the captivating journey of a young Willy as he establishes his renowned chocolate factory. With delightful adventures and unexpected obstacles, the secrets of Willy Wonka's legendary enterprise are revealed in a fun family musical experience.
My Initial Bias
Before even watching the new trailer, I knew that I wouldn’t be seeing Wonka 2023 in theaters. One of my biases lies in being critical of Hollywood’s overall failure to produce original films, now relying mainly on lazily regurgitating from already established popular franchises. Of course, this strategy is lucrative for the industry at the expense of creativity. There isn't enough cutting-edge CGI, nostalgic fan service, or McDonald's toys to compensate for the lack of an innovative story. But, there are rare occasions where prequels or sequels outshine the original with improved plots that take a twist on the original story. I’m just skeptical that Wonka 2023 will do so, as most of the time these days, it's just a sloppy money grab.
Wonka 2023 Setting
One of the major shortcomings that I took from the trailer is the lack of mystery, which made the factory intriguing to begin with. In the 1971 classic and even in the 2005 adaptation, the surrounding world was Kafkaesque and bleak. Charlie and his family were products of urban, industrial reality. The extraordinary rumors about the factory gave the characters hope to escape their troubling environment. In the Wonka 2023 trailer, the outside world is colorful, with townspeople breaking into random musical dance numbers. The contrast between the outside world and the factory was a crucial part of the original story that made the setting interesting and piqued my curiosity as a child. I’m purely judging from an early trailer, so maybe the world darkens throughout the film.
The Timothée Chalamet Willy Wonka
Admittedly, I’ve never seen any of Timothée Chalamet’s works. In the trailer, he seems to portray something different than Gene Wilder’s psychotically loony Willy Wonka and Johnny Depp’s awkwardly zany character that covered a haunting past. In both of the previous films, Wonka was a reclusive man who was an enigma to the public. Chalamet’s young Wonka reveals his inventions and magical candy publicly. Once again, the mystery of the previous films is missing. I’m curious if the character evolves to become the closed-off, secretive factory owner that we all know. Hopefully, there’ll be an interesting character arc, because if not, Chalamet's Willy Wonka will be remembered as pretty flat and cringe.
Wonka 2023 Antagonists
The three leaders of the "Chocolate Cartel" seem to be the film's main bad guys. They're seen wearing colorful suits and acting goofy throughout the trailer. All are very different from Slugworth in the 1971 film, whose character is more serious. Slugsworth was an intimidating villain whose identity was kept secret until the ending.
There’s a part in the trailer where the chocolate mafia starts flying due to Wonka’s magic chocolate. If they were the serious business type reacting to the unexplainable magic of Willy Wonka, the scene would be more comical. With three characters embodying the antagonistic role, I doubt there will be much depth to their characters.
Wonka Box Office Predictions
Overall, I’m predicting Wonka 2023 will be a big box office hit with a lot of people coming out to watch on Christmas break. The anticipation will grow as more trailers come out and marketing increases in the fall.
Where can I watch the first two movies?
If you plan on watching the 1971 original and the 2005 adaptation before seeing Wonka 2023, book an outdoor event with us! We bring state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment to your location so that you can enjoy the first two films before seeing the new one for yourself.
Wonka 2023 Fun Fact
The director of "Wonka" said he gained 50 pounds from consuming the on-set chocolate.
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