Taika Waititi Is Willy Wonka in a Very Unexpected New Animated Film
What happened to Willy Wonka after he gave all those kids Golden Tickets? That’s at the heart of an upcoming animated movie that just put itself on the map in a big, big way. It’s called Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory,and it’s coming to Netflix on December 22, 2027, after a theatrical release on November 5, 2027.
That alone is weird because Netflix has generally been so opposed to wide theatrical releases, but there’s so much more. Earlier this year, the lead voice roles of Taika Waititi as Willy Wonka and Kit Connor (yes, Cyclops himself) as Charlie were announced, and now, we have the full cast. It includes acting legends Kate Winslet and Helena Bonham Carter, along with Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton), Charithra Chandran (One Piece), Samson Kayo (F1), and Christopher Chung (Slow Horses).
Even though news of this project first dropped a few months ago, it somehow totally missed us. If you’re in the same boat, here’s what the movie is about:
In Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory, Wonka (Waititi) has spent the years since the infamous Golden Ticket contest behind bars — and not the chocolate kind — for the crime of turning a child into a blueberry. Having served his time, he returns to his factory determined to add a little sweetness to a bitter world.
But one thing stands in his way: Charlie Paley (Connor) and his friends. Facing eviction, this next generation of so-called “rotten” kids hatch a plan to break into the factory, steal a priceless Wonka Bar, and save their homes. Like the children who came before them, however, they soon discover that the fantastical world inside the factory may be more than they can chew…
The film is directed by Jared Stern (The LEGO Batman Movie) and Elaine Bogan (Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia), and promises to have “original songs, new characters, and even a few familiar faces, all wrapped in the signature British charm of Roald Dahl’s iconic world,” according to the press release. Netflix must also be very high on it if it’s giving it such a wide theatrical release. Rian Johnson and Guillermo del Toro didn’t get this kind of window.
“Our directors, Jared and Elaine, have a bold vision befitting this new adventure whilst remaining sympathetic to the legacy, and I’m thrilled to play my part in bringing Willy Wonka to life in animated form,” Waititi, who is also an executive producer, said. “He’s so special to me, and the opportunity to voice such an iconic, eccentric candy genius—if a little mischievous at times—is hugely exciting.”
If the whole notion of Waititi in the world of Willy Wonka does, however, ring a bell, that’s because Netflix announced he was developing two animated series in that world way back in 2020. But we’re guessing those have now been either canceled or put on the back burner.
What do you think of Netflix continuing to go all in on Roald Dahl and now giving this star-studded animated film a huge push? Let us know below.
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Reporting from Gizmodo contributed to this story.
