'Wonka': 'Paddington' Director's Prequel Film Lands Official 2023 Release Date

Tim Burton wasn’t able to fully succeed with his ‘Wonka’ remake with “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” back in 2005, as many people feel that feature doesn’t come close to replicating the magic of the 1971 feature, “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” So, Warner Bros. has decided to not even try to remake that film again. Instead, the studio is moving forward with a prequel film, simply titled “Wonka,” that now has an official 2023 release date.

READ MORE: Ryan Gosling & Donald Glover Top WB’s Shortlist Of Actors For Title Role In ‘Willy Wonka’ Prequel

According to Variety, WB is ready to move forward with the long-in-development “Wonka,” and the studio has already planted a flag on the box office calendar for March 17, 2023. But let’s be real, there’s a lot that needs to happen between now and the next two years for that release date to be a reality.

“Wonka” is described as a prequel to ‘Chocolate Factory’ and tells the story of the title character and how he would become the infamous business owner. The film is written by Simon Rich, who has been working on the project for several years. Rich is probably best known for his recent script for “American Pickle,” which was released last year on HBO Max. And leading the way in the director’s chair is none other than Paul King, the man behind the acclaimed “Paddington” family films.

READ MORE: Dwayne Johnson Says He Was Considered For The Role Of Willy Wonka In Tim Burton’s ‘Charlie And The Chocolate Factory’ Remake

Of course, one thing you didn’t see listed in that rundown is a star. WB has yet to announce who would be leading the cast of the film, portraying the coveted Willy Wonka role. Previously, Gene Wilder captured the hearts of millions with his performance as the singing, dancing candymaker. And in the more recent remake, that role was occupied by Johnny Depp, who did…uh…not as good as people hoped.

Back in 2018, it was speculated that Ryan Gosling and Donald Glover topped WB’s shortlist for the role, but nothing was announced. Clearly, that was because the studio still wasn’t ready to make things official. Now, three years later, are those two still up for the role? We’ll have to find out. Also, let’s not forget that Dwayne Johnson was once approached for the role when Burton’s remake was in development. So, who knows? Maybe The Rock can turn into Wonka?

Regardless, it does appear that “Wonka” will be in theaters on March 17, 2023.