Warning: spoilers for Wonka.
In Wonka, Timothée Chalamet plays the same Roald Dahl character that Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp once played, but his Willy Wonka is significantly different. When Wonka was first announced in 2016, and Timothée Chalamet was confirmed as its titular character, many could not help but wonder if he would be a good fit for the role. After Wonka‘s first trailer premiered, there was not only some skepticism surrounding its controversial casting choice for Oompa Loompa but also some doubt about whether Chalamet was capable of playing the part.
Since Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp have previously done an incredible job at portraying Willy Wonka on the big screen, Timothée Chalamet was bound to get compared with the two actors. Even after the movie’s release, many cannot help but notice what Chalamet brings to the table with his take on the character that Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp could not. While the conclusion of who among the three actors gave the better performance will always be debatable, some clear character elements make Chalamet’s Willy Wonka different from the others.
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Wonka’s 17 Easter Eggs & References
Despite not being part of the timelines of previous adaptations, Wonka has various Easter eggs and references to the movies and the novel.
10 Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka Is Less Successful But More Ambitious Than Gene Wilder & Johnny Depp’s Versions
He has no factories but a whole lot of heart
Unlike Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp’s versions of Willy Wonka, who already have well-established chocolate factories in their respective movies’ opening arcs, Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka starts from the bottom. He arrives in the central city with the dream of opening his chocolate shop and stays optimistic about his ambitions despite having little to no money in his pockets. Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp’s versions are at the peak of success, and their primary concern is finding a worthy heir for their factories. Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka, in contrast, struggles to find his feet in the city but hopes to build his own chocolate empire someday.
9 Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka Is Not Even Half As Cynical As The Previous Versions Of The Character
He remains open to new possibilities despite facing grim challenges
Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka is no less mischievous than the previous iterations of the character. However, compared to Johnny Depp and Gene Wilder’s versions, he seems to have a more positive outlook towards the outside world. With his smiley and wide-eyed demeanor, Chalamet’s character emits a youthful exuberance and sense of wonder that the previous iterations lack. While maintaining the eccentric and mischievous trademark of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka, Chalamet’s character stands out because of his openness to the possibilities of the world around him.
8 Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka Is Much Younger Than Gene Wilder & Johnny Depp’s Versions
He has a lot to look forward to
Wonka explores the formative years of the titular character instead of jumping ahead to a time when he already has a massive chocolate factor. This allows the movie to portray a less calloused and more cheerful version of the character. Although he faces a fair share of challenges in the film and struggles to set up his chocolate factory with the Chocolate Cartel constantly trying to bring him down, Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka is not as emotionally numb as Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp’s versions.
7 Unlike Gene Wilder & Johnny Depp’s Versions, Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka Is More Naive & Innocent
He sees the world through rose-tinted glasses
Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp’s versions of Willy Wonka are portrayed as exceptionally intelligent chocolatiers who not only master the art of creating the most inventive chocolates but also meticulously set up traps for their guests to find one worthy heir. Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka, on the other hand, seems too naive about the world and innocently trusts Mrs. Scrubitt when she offers him a place to stay. His innocence also makes him more likable, explaining why, unlike Wilder and Depp’s iterations, he makes friends easily.
6 Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka Is Far More Level-Headed Than His Adult Counterparts
He is mischievous but pragmatic when necessary
Despite carefully setting up traps to find a worthy heir, Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp’s versions of Willy Wonka ultimately struggle to solve the simple problem. In contrast, Chalamet’s Wonka stays calm and level-headed in the face of extreme danger and finds ingenious solutions for his dilemmas. For instance, he comes up with creative ideas to outsmart Bleacher and Mrs. Scrubitt and later uses his limited resources to get Father Julius and his “chocoholic” monks out of his way. Although the Chocolate Cartel almost defeats him in the movie’s final arc, he makes a strong comeback and eventually wins with his resilience, resourcefulness, and optimism.
5 Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka Has His Morals In The Right Place
He is clearly the movie’s hero
Willy Wonka is presented as a morally ambiguous character in the 1971 and 2005 films. Although his punishments for children who break his rules are hilarious in both films, they leave room for interpretation regarding his moral stance. 2023’s Wonka does not tread the same path. It draws a clear distinction between the good and evil characters of its storyline and portrays Wonka in a morally positive light. Throughout the movie’s runtime, the character never uses his chocolates to harm anyone, and even though the Chocolate Cartel tries to kill him, he gets back at them in Wonka‘s ending by making them levitate with his hover chocs.
4 Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka Has A Heartwarming Backstory That Connects To His Mother
He shares chocolates to fill the void his mother’s demise left behind
Wonka is not the first Roald Dahl adaptation that has delved into the details of the titular character’s past. Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory did something similar by walking audiences through young Willy Wonka’s relationship with his dentist father. However, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory‘s exploration of the character’s past is significantly darker than Wonka‘s because it portrays how young Willy Wonka was not allowed to eat chocolates. Paul King’s Wonka shows the opposite by highlighting how the Timothée Chalamet character draws inspiration from his mother, who made homemade chocolates for him when he was younger.
3 Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka Has A Different Dynamic With The Oompa Loompa
He initially perceives the Oompa Loompa as his enemy
While the Oompa Loompas have a collaborative relationship with Willy Wonka in the 1971 and 2005 movies, Hugh Grant’s Oompa Loompa is initially portrayed as a secondary antagonist in Wonka, who steals chocolates from the titular character. Although he eventually saves Wonka and Noodle and even agrees to join forces with Chalamet’s character, his initial hostility towards Willy Wonka brings a new twist to the traditional dynamic between Willy Wonka and the Oompa Loompas.
2 Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka Overcomes Bigger Challenges Than His Adult Counterparts
His problems are far more complex and challenging to solve
Unlike the 2005 and 1971 movies, Wonka’s narrative does not revolve around Willy Wonka’s hunt for a worthy heir. It instead focuses on the unsurmountable odds the titular character has to overcome to begin his chocolate business. From stiff corporate competition to the struggles of scrubbing in Mrs. Scubitt’s hotel, Chalamet’s Wonka faces it all in the new movie. The problems of his adult counterparts in the original films seem nothing, considering how he also has a brush with doom when the Chocolate Cartel tries to kill him by making him board a ship filled with explosives.
1 Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka Is More Like Young Charlie & Less Like Older Willy Wonka
He and Charlie have one thing in common
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has an iconic scene where Charlie’s parents get him a Wonka chocolate bar, hoping that he will find a golden ticket. To everyone’s disappointment, however, Charlie finds nothing in the chocolate bar’s packaging. Instead of feeling bad about it, Charlie lightens the mood by sharing his chocolate bar with everyone in his family, emphasizing how family comes before everything else for him. In Wonka‘s closing moments, Chalamet’s character does something similar after recalling how his mother would say chocolate is best when shared. This scene highlights how Chalamet’s version of the character in Wonka is as kind-hearted and gentle as young Charlie, unlike Johnny Depp and Gene Wilder’s iterations.
Wonka
Wonka is a prequel film to Roald Dahl’s classic novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and follows the origins of the legendary candy maker. From his first encounter with the Oompa Loompas to founding his deliciously magnificent headquarters, Wonka explores the character in a new light. Timothee Chalamet assumes the role of Willy Wonka himself.
- Release Date
- December 15, 2023
- Director
- Paul King
- Cast
- Sally Hawkins , Olivia Colman , Keegan-Michael Key , Rowan Atkinson , Timothee Chalamet , Jim Carter
- Genres
- Family , Adventure , Comedy
- Writers
- Paul King , Simon Farnaby
- Budget
- $125 million
- Studio(s)
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Distributor(s)
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- prequel(s)
- Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory , Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
