This month, fans of all kinds have been flocking to see Wonka, a movie for people who love Roald Dahl, Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, the remake Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, or just Timothée Chalamet, who stars as the film’s titular character. Unlike Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this movie isn’t a direct remake of the famous original, nor is it an adaptation of the book. It’s more of a prequel to the original story, showing a young Willy Wonka becoming the great factory owner who would one day torment sugar-crazed children in the search for an heir.
This origin story of Willy Wonka shows how the purple-suited man became a chocolatier, and tells the tale of where the orange Oompa Loompas met the man and joined his enterprise. The impressive cast includes not just Chalamet, but Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Sally Hawkins, Hugh Grant, and Olivia Colman. Chalamet has already received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy and Lane and received a nomination at the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Young Actor.
The movie is currently only available in theaters, but eventually viewers will be able to stream Wonka at home. The movie is a Warner Bros. production, so it should eventually be available on Max for those who have a subscription, or for purchase on other streaming services. If you need some immediate Willy Wonka action, you can always watch the originals on Max right now.
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Aimée Lutkin is the weekend editor at ELLE.com. Her writing has appeared in Jezebel, Glamour, Marie Claire and more. Her first book, The Lonely Hunter, will be released by Dial Press in February 2022.