A Horror Movie Based on the Viral Willy Wonka Experience Debacle Now in the Works

A Scotland-based studio aims to cash in on the viral experience.

By Patrick Cavanaugh

An unauthorized tribute to Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory took the Internet by storm last week, largely because of how poorly it paid tribute to the seminal world of Willy Wonka, with Bloody Disgusting reporting that Kaledonia Pictures aims to cash in on the event by developing a movie centered around one of the characters that appeared at the event. As evidenced by films like Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey or the Grinch-inspired The Mean One, sometimes all it takes is a trending approach to a concept as opposed to a fully thought-out idea to earn a quick buck, so with the viral nature of the experience only arriving last week, it's unclear if there will be any interest in such a film once it is finally released later this year.

"The film, gearing up for production and a late 2024 release, follows a renowned illustrator and his wife who are haunted by the tragic death of their son, Charlie. Desperate to escape their grief, the couple leave the world behind for the remote Scottish Highlands -- where an unknowable evil awaits them," Kaledonia Pictures shared with the outlet. "We are excited to begin production and look forward to sharing more with you as soon as possible. We are actually only a few miles from the event, so it is quite surreal to see Glasgow all over social media, worldwide."

For those who might have missed the inciting incident, event creators House of Illuminati held an unlicensed event that was meant to transport guests to the world of Willy Wonka, hot off the success of last year's Wonka. In hopes of enticing guests, the event utilized A.I.-generated art and images, which conveyed a whimsical world that families could visit. In reality, though, the low-budget event was sparsely decorated and had no resemblance to either Dahl's original book or any of the film adaptations of the material.

As images of the event took social media by storm, performers who were enlisted for the event began to weigh in on their disappointing experience with an event designed to bring joy to kids and their families. The performer who played Willy Wonka expressed that they received a script that they believed was crafted through A.I. which included a figure described as "The Unknown," seen in videos from the event wearing a mirrored mask, who was explained as a former candymaker who lived in the walls of the chocolate factory.

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Stay tuned for updates on The Unknown.

What do you think of the new project? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

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