Wonka dances into theaters this weekend, with Timothée Chalamet stepping into the role of the candy-loving, musically-inclined chocolatier. Check out my review of the surprisingly charming adaptation here: Wonka Review: A Whimsical World of Pure Imagination.
Chalamet is the third actor to tackle the famous character of Willy Wonka in live-action. Johnny Depp delivered a strange and divisive performance in 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from frequent collaborator, Tim Burton; however, it’s Gene Wilder’s iconic performance in the classic original that remains the definitive-version of the character for most movie-goers. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a certified classic, rivaled only by The Wizard of Oz in the realm of children’s fantasy musicals. So, why was there never a sequel? Why didn’t Gene Wilder return to the role that he’s arguably best remembered for?
Roald Dahl’s Opinion on “Willy Wonka”
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Roald Dahl has written some of the most beloved children’s books of ever published, and many of those books have been adapted into feature films. The BFG, Matilda and The Fantastic Mr. Fox are just a few examples Dahl stories that made the leap from paper to screen. While Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is among his most beloved adaptations, Dahl himself despised the film.
The film deviated from its source materiel in several ways, but most glaringly is in the title. Unlike in the novel, it’s not Charlie’s name in the title, but Willy Wonka’s. Along with this title shift came — at least in Dahl’s eyes — a shift in focus. The author vocalized his criticism of the film spending too much time with Wonka, rather than Charlie.
Dahl also heavily criticized the film’s musical elements, calling it’s songs “sappy and sentimental.” While Gene Wilder singing Pure Imagination is a highlight for many fans, to Dahl, it contradicted the darker elements and tone of his original story. In fact, Dahl strongly protested the casting of Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka from the beginning, believing that Wilder was too clean-cut and wholesome to properly portray the sharp edges of the character he’d written. Comedian and actor Spike Milligan was Dahl’s top choice for the part, but the studio didn’t agree.
Gene Wilder (Left) as Willy Wonka and Peter Ostrum (right) as Charlie.
Based on the execution of the 1971 original, author Roald Dahl vehemently protested green-lighting a sequel to the candy-centric musical. Of course, that didn’t stop filmmakers from returning to the magical candy shop. Since the death of the beloved writer in 1990, two more live-action adaptations have hit theaters. Wonka takes a fresh approach, however, acting as a prequel and telling the tale of a more joyful, and younger Willy Wonka.
While each of the films have had their strengths, it’s interesting to imagine what Gene Wilder’s return might have looked at. Is Wilder still the definitive Wonka? To most people, I’d say yes; however, each actor has brought something unique to the character.
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