Earlier today came the news that Warner Bros. planned movie Wonka, which the studio describes as following “a young Willy Wonka and his adventures prior to opening the world’s most famous chocolate factory,” has officially been given a release date of March 17, 2023. Harry Potter franchise producer David Heyman is still attached, as is writer Simon Rich, who has been working with Heyman on this since 2016. Paddington director Paul King will also step behind the camera for the project. News of the project spread quickly on the internet and everyone has an idea about what the plot should be and who should star as the candy maker.
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Following the announcement news spread that the Spider-Man actor Tom Holland and Dune star Timothee Chalamet are among the names that the studio is eyeing for the part. As you can see from the collected tweets below however, people have a much different idea of who should play the character and what direction it should go in. Check out the tweets we collected below that have a variety of different ideas (only some of them joking).
“We are still trying to figure out how to tell that story, what the story is,” Heyman told Collider back in 2019. “It’s a prequel, it’s not a sequel. What makes Willyโwhen 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. They’ve done two films, quite different. But it’s possibly an origin story. We’re just in the early stages of it… It’s challenging because you don’t have Dahl, you don’t have a Dahl book, and yet you have a Dahl character.”
He added, “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 will arrive in 2023, a year that also includes Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the Mad Max spin-off Furiosa, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, and Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
Wonka Origins: Vietnam
[โSweet Home Alabamaโ plays over footage of a military helicopter flying over Vietnam]
โ pixelatedboat aka โmr tweetsโ (@pixelatedboat) January 19, 2021
Soldier: … and what are you gonna do when you get back home, Wonka?
Private Willy Wonka: Iโm going to open a chocolate factory
Helicopter pilot (screaming): INCOMING! https://t.co/oiOiVzk4SW
Janelle Monรกe as Wonka
There’s only one who can play Willy Wonka, thank u v much pic.twitter.com/3rZGWooixc
โ Maggie Mae Fish ๐ (@MaggieMaeFish) January 19, 2021
Andre 3000 as Wonka
Imagine how fucking cool it wouldโve been to have Andre 3000 play Willy Wonka. pic.twitter.com/35v4RNBD9G
โ Dedee ๐ฅ (@thoughtfulbae) January 19, 2021
Wonka: The Wonder Years
much more terrifying to imagine willy wonka had a normal upbringing surrounded by a loving family imo
โ Brandy Jensen (@BrandyLJensen) January 19, 2021
Donald Glover as Wonka
For the love of Jesus Christ, I love Tom Holland, been following his career long before most people even knew his name. But Jesus Christ, THERE ARE MORE ACTORS OUT THERE.
โ Sam (@samshawmedia) January 19, 2021
Also Donald Glover would play an amazing Willy Wonka. pic.twitter.com/Cq2C3XvauA
Nicolas Cage as Wonka
The new Willy Wonka movie looks great. pic.twitter.com/ovT1UkmVWi
โ Danny Neary (@itsdannyneary) January 19, 2021
Wonka meets Saw?
They’re making a Willy Wonka prequel in which he, presumably, gets his taste for torturing children.
โ Martyn Pedler (@martynpedler) January 20, 2021
Cate Blanchett as Wonka
cast cate blanchett as willy wonka you fucking cowards https://t.co/ApP94aDHt6
โ Jill Gutowitz (@jillboard) January 20, 2021
Jack Black as Wonka
Why isnโt Jack Black being cast as Willy Wonka I donโt understand
โ KELGORE (@KelgoreTrout) January 20, 2021
Wonka meets The Omen?
If the Willy Wonka prequel isnโt about an evil orphan boy who charms his way into a rich chocolatier family before killing them all and inheriting the factory for himself then what are we even doing here.
โ Mommy Meme Jeans (@mommymemejeans) January 20, 2021