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Will there be a Wonka 2? Timothee Chalamet says THIS
Timothée Chalamet, who plays a younger version of Wonka, is considering the possibility of a sequel to the Paul King prequel.
Timothée Chalamet's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical prequel Wonka, is a "winning confection" and an instant holiday classic. It explores the origin story of Willy Wonka, the fabled chocolatier. Director Paul King and co-writer Simon Farnaby drew inspiration from Roald Dahl's work to chronicle the protagonist's first sweet shop, with Hugh Grant playing an Oompa-Loompa. The film has been praised for its sweet and entertaining story.
Timothée Chalamet, who plays a younger version of Wonka, is weighing the potential of the sequel to the Paul King prequel.
Timothée Chalamet addresses the possibilities of Wonka sequel
Timothée Chalamet addresses the chances of Wonka 2. Chalamet stars as Wonka, a younger version of the titular character in the Paul King prequel. The film tells the origin story of Roald Dahl's book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, following a young chocolatier before he had the flourishing chocolate factory and before the events of the Golden Tickets to search for his successor. Chalamet fills the shoes of predecessors Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp.
Chalamet revealed his thoughts on the chances for Wonka 2 in a conversation with ET Online. Chalamet stated that Wonka 2 should happen, “If there is a story to be told,” which the actor suggested “there is.” However, Chalamet was unsure as to what exactly that story could entail. He said, “If there was a story to be told. And evidently, there is. Something twisted happens ... I don't know how we started like this and end there -- I don't know what the story is.”
Wonka 2's demand is expected due to its recent performance and reception. Prior to its release, Wonka's trailers were controversial, with critics questioning the cheesiness of the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory prequel. The iconic Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp versions, along with the original Dahl story, were seen as a disservice to the prequel, leading to questions about its necessity.
It's a movie, King says, that works as a standalone. That being said, he isn't ruling out the potential to put on a top hat and get back to writing and directing.
Director Paul King said, “We wanted to make a movie with a beginning, middle and end that wouldn't feel like one of those things where you kinda go 'Oh, I only just saw a quarter of the story.' The movie is its own thing. It's set 25 years before the factory -- but like you said, there's 25 years and plenty more things that happen to Willy Wonka”. The Paddington director added that he believed the content is there to make a fun and interesting sequel as "nothing is boring around him [Wonka].” Chalamet agreed, telling ET that he thinks "evidently, there is" plenty to work with for another movie.
Wonka's early success has proven that initial skepticism doesn't impact its performance. The third adaptation achieved significant international box-office success, earning $43.2 million during its opening weekend. Current projections suggest the domestic box office for its debut weekend is around $35 million, indicating a promising domestic box office.
Wonka, a box office success with positive reviews, has been certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with an 84% critical score. Calls for Wonka 2 have increased, but the chances depend on King and Chalamet's vision for another installment that continues Willy's chocolate-making dreams and the Charlie and the Chocolate Factor events.
ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Hugh Grant reveals why upcoming Wonka was "made for Paul King" to direct
Easter eggs in Wonka
The movie ends with Wonka inviting his Oompa Loompa pal (Hugh Grant) to head the tasting department at his future chocolate factory. Wonka croons the classic song "Pure Imagination" from the 1971 film, and during the closing credits, Grant performs a new rendition of an Oompa Loompa song, revealing the fate of other characters.
Wonka features familiar music, Easter eggs from the original movie, and Roald Dahl's 1964 book "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Wonka nearly drowns in a liquid chocolate vat, reminiscent of the factory's famous chocolate river. Arthur Slugworth, Wonka's rival, appears in all versions, and Chalamet's line "Scratch that, reverse it" is a nod to Wilder's chocolatier.
The scene where young Wonka struggles to read a fine-print contract is also an homage to the original movie when Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum) and the other kids are instructed to sign a lengthy agreement before touring Wonka’s factory.
“There’s a bunch of little things that we threw in,” King says. “There’s a lot of stuff in the choreography like Wonka stepping back as he goes down the steps and (using) the cane. He’s his own character, and this is 25 years earlier, so he’s in such a different place in his life. But I like those little things where you can see, ‘Oh! That’s how he becomes the older Wonka from the Gene Wilder movie.’”
The movie ends with a starry-eyed Wonka dreaming up his legendary factory. But it doesn’t get into how or why exactly he became the somewhat menacing character we know in the first movie: a lonely oddball looking to give away his business to the kindest, most selfless child.
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