Warning: This post contains spoilers for Wonka.
Wonka not only breaks one major theme from the Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp movies but also makes Willy Wonka more likable. Inspired by the characters written by Roald Dahl, Wonka adopts an original storyline that only borrows a few narrative beats from its predecessors. It brings a new spin to Willy Wonka’s narrative by featuring a young version of him who does not have a chocolate factory but has a heart full of ambition and dreams.
Although the movie dabbles with themes of classicism and capitalism like its predecessors, its primary appeal comes from its uplifting portrayal of how Willy Wonka defies all odds and starts building his chocolate empire. Even his dynamic with the Oompa Loompa is a far cry from what the 1971 and 2005 movies portrayed. However, of all these differences between Wonka and the previous movies, the one that makes the Paul King film stand out is its refreshing depiction of one theme from the 1971 and 2005 movies.
Wonka Theory Suggests Charlie Was In The 2023 Movie & Sets Up A Proper Sequel
According to a theory from Paul King’s Wonka, Charlie Bucket was secretly a character in the 2023 movie, setting the stage for a proper sequel film.
The 1971 & 2005 Willy Wonka Movies Both Revolved Around Toxic Parents
Toxing parenting was a central theme in both previous Willy Wonka films
1971’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory‘s opening arc features a sequence where all the children (except Charlie), who later visit the chocolate factory, talk about how they found the golden ticket. The film’s quasi-documentary style in these moments draws a clear picture of how the children are mere reflections of their parents. While Augustus symbolizes his parents’ gluttonous tendencies and only finds the ticket because his parents let him eat chocolates all day, Veruca gets her hands on one of the tickets because her wealthy father makes his employees skim through multiple chocolate bars.
Violet cares little about visiting the factory. Like her mother, she is only drawn by the prospect of winning Willy Wonka’s secret prize. Mike, on the other hand, grew up behind screens with little to no supervision, which is why he remains ungrateful about the opportunity to visit the factory. Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory not only reinstated the 1971 movie’s toxic parenting theme but also took it further by portraying how Willy Wonka was also raised by a questionable father figure. When he was younger, his father restricted him from having chocolates and even burnt the ones he got on Halloween. His traumatic childhood with his dentist father made him a genius chocolatier but also turned him into a cold, calloused adult.
Wonka Finally Brings An End To The Franchise’s Toxic Parenting Trend
Wonka features healthy parental figures
Instead of treading the same path as its predecessors, Wonka ends the franchise’s toxic parenting trend by portraying the positive outcomes of healthy parenting. The movie features an emotional flashback in which young Willy Wonka’s mother makes him a chocolate for his birthday. Although they live in poverty, his mother ensures that he gets to embrace a homemade chocolate bar. Driven by his mother’s passion for making chocolates and spreading happiness, Wonka dreams of becoming a great chocolatier when he grows up. The child in him also believes that his late mother will visit him if he realizes his dreams.
Wonka ends on a poignant note where the titular character becomes what he promised his mother and finally gets to embrace the last chocolate bar his mother had left behind. The golden wrapper on his bar holds a message from his mother saying that chocolate tastes better when shared, again highlighting how his mother played a crucial role in shaping his positive outlook towards the world. Unlike Willy Wonka’s father in the Tim Burton movie, Wonka’s mother from the Paul King film nurtured and loved her son while imparting valuable values and morals. This makes Wonka’s depiction of familial relationships far more emotional and optimistic compared to the 1971 and 2005 films.
Wonka Dropping Its “Bad Parents” Theme Makes Willy Wonka More Likable
Wonka’s titular character is as endearing as Charlie
Wonka dropping its “bad parents” theme not only makes the movie more uplifting but also allows the titular character to be more likable. In many ways, instead of portraying the character as his counterpart from the original Roald Dahl story, Wonka depicts him as a reflection of young Charlie. Charlie grew up in poverty, but his parents ensured that he got a chocolate bar for his birthday. And even when Charlie did not find a golden ticket inside his birthday chocolate bar, he embraced his chocolate by sharing it with loved ones like Timothée Chalamet’s Willy Wonka. These parallels between the two characters and their healthy relationships with their parents make them more relatable and endearing.
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
