Last fall, a first look at Timothee Chalamet as Willy Wonka in Warner Bros. Wonka prequel elicited quite a response from the internet. The image of the actor in the velvet jacket and top hat that are iconic to the beloved character prompted many to take to social media with some wild reactions, including more than a few thirst tweets, including one that read “In this one, Wonka f-cks”. Now, Chalamet has his own reaction to those responses, saying that the thirst tweets are a little misleading.
In a new piece from British Vogue, Chalamet was amused by the thirst tweets and explained that the Wonka film is “joyous”, which seems to be a bit opposite the thirst tweets.
Videos by ComicBook.com
You know what’s really funny about that is it’s so misleading,” Chalamet said. “This movie is so sincere, it’s so joyous.”
The actor went on to explain that he has seven musical numbers in Wonka, something that fans got a bit of a taste of in a set video last fall.
In addition to Chalamet as Wonka, the film will also feature Olivia Colman (The Favourite, The Crown), Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean, Love, Actually), Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water), and Keegan Michael Key (The Prom, Schmigadoon!). The story is set to occur before the events of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Paul King (Paddington) is set to direct. King is also reuniting with several of his Paddington stars for the new film including Tom Davis, Simon Farnaby, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, and Matt Lucas. Other confirmed cast members include Mathew Baynton (Ghosts), Jim Carter (Downton Abbey), Rich Fulcher (Marriage Story), Paterson Joseph (Noughts + Crosses), Calah Lane (The Day Shall Come), Colin O’Brien (The Mothership), Natasha Rothwell (White Lotus), Rakhee Thakrar (Sex Education), and Ellie White (The Other One). David Heyman (Harry Potter, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) is producing with Luke Kelly (The Witches) and Alexandra Derbyshire (Jurassic World: Dominion).
Heyman previously hinted at the prequel film’s story. “We are still trying to figure out how to tell that story, what the story is,” the producer told Collider. “It’s a prequel, it’s not a sequel. What makes Willy-when we find him at the chocolate factory doing the golden ticket, where is he before that? What leads him to that place where he’s locked himself away? It’s how does he get there? So, we’re playing around with that. It’s not a remake… But it’s possibly an origin story… It’s challenging because you don’t have Dahl, you don’t have a Dahl book, and yet you have a Dahl character. But I think there’s a lot in his character that suggests who he is and also where he might come from or what his childhood or his middle age might have been like. So, we’re exploring that. We’re discussing it. We’re in the very early stages and very excited about what lies ahead.”
Wonka is currently scheduled to open in theaters December 15, 2023.
