Wonka features a complete revision of Gene Wilder’s “Pure Imagination” song, and the director and music producer explain why. A prequel to Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the 1971 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory movie, and 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the movie explores just how Willy Wonka came to develop his chocolate factory. Along the way, it honors prior movies by including elements like Wilder’s iconic song.
While it did feature the song, the surprising Wonka ending includes a revised version with brand-new lyrics. It was repositioned, rewritten, and offered a new and compelling tone. In an interview with LA Times, director and co-writer Paul King and songwriter Neil Hannon spoke about why they changed “Pure Imagination” so heavily. Check out their explanations below:
King: So much of what the movie is about is when Willy is able to make dreams come true. Noodle is somebody who is wise and clever, but she lost the ability to believe that good things can happen. He’s happy as can be for her, but he’s also saying goodbye to her and sending her off. That bittersweet sensation is part of what made the 1971 version great — Gene Wilder with tears in his eyes as he’s looking around, and you never quite know why — and those same emotions worked beautifully for our story as well.
Hannon: Chordally, it’s a vast simplification, but I wanted it to sound a bit more contemporary. We needed to do repetitive, straight chords over a shuffling beat, and build to the big finish.
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