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Willy Wonka is a character from Roald Dahl's 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, who owns the quirky Wonka Chocolate Factory.
Gene Wilder played him in the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, while Johnny Depp took on the role in the 2005 version. Both garnered mixed reviews and received Golden Globe nominations.
Now, Timothée Chalamet is stepping into Wonka's shoes for the upcoming film Wonka. This time, exploring the character's origins together with Oompa-Loompas (played by Hugh Grant).
Here's everything we need to know about Wonka before we see Chalamet on the big screen.
Creating Willy Wonka
As a kid, Roald Dahl got the chance to taste-test new Cadbury products. A bit like Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Dahl sampled Cadbury's latest chocolate creations, shared his thoughts with the company, and this experience inspired his 1964 book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. While he never got a full tour of the Cadbury factory, Dahl imagined the different rooms and the inventive chocolatiers.
Dahl's vivid imagination, shaped by his experiences with Cadbury, came to life in his novel. Cadbury was just the beginning of what would become Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Dahl's involvement with the company likely played a crucial role in bringing the magical world of Willy Wonka to readers.
In Dahl's tale, Willy Wonka had a strict dentist dad who made him wear braces and forbade him from eating chocolates due to cavities. Yet, Willy, intrigued by forbidden treats, fell in love with chocolates when he finally tasted them. Discovering this, his dad disapproved, prompting Willy to leave home and create his chocolate factory.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
In the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory film, Willy Wonka shut down his factory to the public due to issues with industrial espionage. It lead to job losses for all employees, including Charlie's Grandpa Joe.
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Out of the blue, Willy Wonka announced the reopening of his factory through five golden tickets. The lucky winners would enjoy an exclusive tour of his closely guarded chocolate factory and receive a special prize. Eager to witness Wonka's chocolate-making magic, people flocked to stores, buying chocolate bars in the hope of finding a golden ticket.
Eventually—five children secured the coveted tickets. But during the tour, Wonka tested each misbehaving child by tempting them to break his rules, exploiting their character flaws. One by one, these children disappeared from the tour. It left Charlie Bucket as the last participant standing and the winner of the tour.
The movies don't really reveal what occurred between the factory closing and the events of handing out the golden tickets.
But in his many flashbacks, Willy Wonka mentioned visiting the Loompaland. He witnessed the harsh conditions the Oompa Loompas endured. So he offered them a chance to work in his factory. In turn, they escape the dangers of their homeland—the Whangdoodles, the Hornswogglers, and the Snozzwangers.
In the book, Mr. Wonka exclusively employs the Oompa Loompas in his factory to prevent industrial espionage by rival candy makers. These knee-high workers, known for their unique haircuts, are compensated with their favorite food, cocoa beans, scarce in Loompaland.
New Wonka movie
In the upcoming Willy Wonka movie, we hope to explore the untold moments between the stories in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Timothée Chalamet takes on the role, inviting us once again into the enchanting chocolate factory.
