Yesterday, it was revealed that Warner Bros. has officially given the green light to “Paddington” director Paul King for his upcoming “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” prequel film, simply titled “Wonka.” In fact, the film even secured a 2023 release date. So, with that in mind, the studio is probably ready to begin work on finding a new actor to take on the role of the infamous candymaker.
READ MORE: ‘Wonka’: ‘Paddington’ Director’s Prequel Film Lands Official 2023 Release Date
According to Collider, it appears that WB has some guys in mind for potentially starring in “Wonka,” including two of the biggest young actors working today, Tom Holland and Timothée Chalamet. Clearly, the studio is going younger than what was previously rumored when folks like Ryan Gosling and Donald Glover were mentioned for the role back in 2018, when the project first started gaining momentum.
Obviously, Holland is probably best known for his work as Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films such as his own ‘Spider-Man’ franchise and films such as “Captain America: Civil War,” “Avengers: Infinity War,” and “Avengers: Endgame.” Outside of that, he’s also the lead in upcoming films such as “Chaos Walking” and “Cherry.” He’s one of the most popular actors on social media and would easily be able to step into the role that would require some potential singing and dancing, as he has experience in that arena, as well.
On the other hand, you have Chalamet, who hasn’t broken out in a major blockbuster just yet, but has been in a number of award-winning films and nominated for an Oscar himself. His previous films include “Little Women,” “Beautiful Boy,” “Call Me By Your Name,” and “Lady Bird.” Chalamet is expected to launch his franchise tentpole film career with the forthcoming “Dune,” which is expected to be released towards the end of 2021.
We’re not sure when WB might land either actor, or if there’s someone else destined for the film, but “Wonka” is expected to tell the story of Willy Wonka’s life before opening his famous factory and luring children into danger for fun and shenanigans. “Wonka” is expected to arrive in theaters on March 17, 2023.