What’s better than a feel-good movie about community, a mother’s love, and chocolate?
“Wonka,” the newest film by director Paul King, written by Simon Farnaby (“Paddington 2”) and Paul King, tells the story of Willy Wonka’s humble beginnings and rough journey into the chocolate business. In this whimsical tale, Willy Wonka, played by the legendary Timothee Chalamet, travels from an unnamed European city to finally fulfill his dream of being a master chocolatier, offering more than just a sweet treat from his candy. Each chocolate piece is an adventure, from chocolate that makes you fly to chocolate that gives you hope. With the help of Noodle, an orphan played by Calah Lane, Willy Wonka fights through many obstacles to make his dream come true and make his mother proud.
Myself and a few other college journalists got to sit down with Keegan-Michael Key, who plays the chocolate-obsessed Chief of Police, and Timothee Chalamet, who plays Willy Wonka himself. We got to get a deeper look into what they think makes this movie so great.
The experience of this movie musical, while having a few sorrowful, deep moments, can only be described as a heartfelt whimsy. Both Keegan and Timothee explained that in making the film, what surprised them most was the fun of the filmmaking process. According to Chalamet, the movie was always meant to be fun and fanciful but even the production of the film contained a sort of glee, and was the most generous project he had been a part of.
“It’s as if Paul King, the director, was whipping up chocolates of his own,” Key responded when asked about what excited him the most about making the film.
While Chalamet is most known for his many dramatic roles, Key is no stranger to the comedy world. Chalamet lit up with excitement talking about the fun he had working with Key.
“I was like a puppy around him, just trying to get him going on improv,” said Chalamet.
While many of the scenes the pair share involve Key’s character trying to capture Chalamet’s Willy Wonka, they both deeply enjoyed working with each other.
“{Chalamet’s} more than a pretty face, and he brings something interesting,” said Key in a conversation with the cast “He brings substance to his roles.”
Although the character of Willy Wonka has been around for years, originating from Roald Dahl’s 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, “Wonka” tells the story of where Willy Wonka came from before the Chocolate Factory. Serving as a prequel, the movie had a lot to live up to in telling this story.
I asked Keegan and Timothee what they wanted this movie to contribute to that legacy, and they both were in agreement: a companion piece to the Gene Wilder film from 1971 and a fulfilling origin story for this iconic character.
Chalamet said he wanted the film to not only be a companion piece but to be “a vision of this Willy Wonka that hasn’t had a worldview made cynical by his experience yet – just totally full of hopes and dreams.”
Paul King, the director, echoed that statement in a conversation with the filmmakers. He said he wanted to show audiences “the flowering of a genius in the most extraordinary way you can possibly imagine—a man who discovers who he is, but also finds a family.”
And that, he did.
While the movie serves as an origin story, it is also a deeply feel-good film, showing the determination of one man to follow his dreams, and how the support of a found family helped get him there.
Behind the scenes, Michael Siegel, Cate Adams, Rosie Alison and Tim Wellspring are serving as executive producers. The creative team includes director of photography Chung-hoon Chung, known for “Handmaiden” (2016), “Oldboy” (2003), and “Last Night in Soho” (2021); The Oscar-nominated production designer Nathan Crowley, known for “Interstellar” (2014), “Dunkirk” (2017) and “Tenet” (2020); editor Mark Everson, known for his work on the “Paddington” films alongside King; The Oscar-winning and all-around legendary costume designer Lindy Hemming, also known for the “Paddington” films as well as “The Dark Knight” (2008) and many others; and composer Joby Talbot, known for the “Sing” films. Neil Hannon of the band The Divine Comedy wrote the original songs for the film.
“Wonka” is set to open in theaters and in IMAX internationally beginning 6 December 2023 and in North America on December 15, 2023; it will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.