Is Wonka, starring Timothée Chalamet, the most magical film of the year?

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It is one of the most anticipated films of the year, alongside Napoleon, Barbie and Oppenheimer. Wonka, the prequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) directed by Paul King (Paddington), is a musical that will look back at the childhood and youth of the famous chocolatier and inventor Willy Wonka, a whimsical character created by Roald Dahl. The project will be released on December 13, 2023 and it is already impressing with its 5-star cast.

Timothée Chalamet and Hugh Grant to star in the film Wonka

First good surprise? The film’s music is signed by
Neil Hannon
of the band The Divine Comedy – a leading Irish musician of the Britpop era – which is already a guarantee of quality. But the whole world was especially amazed when it discovered – in pictures – the new darling of Hollywood, the actor 
Timothée Chalamet
, made up as Willy Wonka. In the photos released by Warner Bros., the Dune star is seen in a frock coat, top hat and chic scarf around his neck, wearing a mischievous look. In these shots from another time, he perfectly embodies the man who was once played by
Johnny Depp
in Tim Burton’s cult film, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Facing
Timothée Chalamet
, the London-shot feature film will star Hugh Grant (as Oompa Loompa), Olivia Colman, Sally Hawkins and Rowan Atkinson, known for playing the hilarious Mr Bean.

A musical more joyful than Tim Burton’s film, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

At CinemaCon, a film convention held in April 2023 in Las Vegas, Timothée Chalamet made several revelations about the highly anticipated film. The man who swam in real chocolate for the prequel explained that unlike the cynical Wonka presented in the previous adaptations of Roald Dahl’s
book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
, his character would be more joyful and optimistic. In the trailer for the film, unveiled on Tuesday, July 11, we see the actor dancing around a lamppost, preparing chocolate and performing magic tricks. The man who currently shares his daily life with reality TV star and businesswoman
Kylie Jenner
even manages, on screen, to make people fly through the air thanks to magical chocolates. Hugh Grant also appears at the end of the video, in a miniature version, with neon green hair. 

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The first reviews of Wonka have fallen

After the American preview screening of the film, reserved for journalists, the first criticisms fell on social networks. And everyone agrees that Timothée Chalamet is fabulous in this role formerly held by
Johnny Depp
. Some even speak of a “charming and perfect performance“. Journalist Rosa Parra wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Wonka confirms Timothée Chalamet as one of the greatest actors on the rise. He is magnetic, charming and walks admirably on the border that separates naivety and intelligence. The film is full of charm, joy and hope. It’s the perfect Christmas movie. Which definitely has “rewatching” potential.” Some film critics, on the other hand, are more mixed about the script of the future blockbuster. A Collider reporter writes, “It can get pretty silly and there are a few plot points that are a bit thin, but that doesn’t stop it from being such an incredibly sweet movie with a dose of strong sincerity and very effective in warming the heart.”

After the screening of the film in Tokyo, Timothée Chalamet said, still amazed: “If you had told me, when I was 12 years old, when I was 10 years old and I was watching Johnny Depp’s version of Willy Wonka, that I would be here in Tokyo to promote this movie as Willy Wonka, next to Hugh Grant, I would have told you that you were lying. So, just like in the movie, follow your dreams.” In short, we already feel that Wonka will be the perfect Christmas cinematographic treat.

Wonka (2023) by Paul King, in theaters on December 13, 2023.