Tired Of Bad News And Political Rhetoric? New Willy Wonka Movie Is For You, Chalamet Says

The new Willy Wonka prequel, simply titled Wonka, looks to be a movie celebrating the inherent positivity of imagination and the joy of cinematic escapism. Timothee Chalamet touched on this and more in a new interview with Vogue.

"In a time and climate of intense political rhetoric, when there's so much bad news all the time, this is hopefully going to be a piece of chocolate," Chalamet said. "To work on something that will have an uncynical young audience, that was just a big joy. That's why I was drawn to it."

The Timothee Chalamet-led film has been in the works since 2016, with Chalamet being cast in 2021. The film isn't a prequel to the Gene Wilder film, but the actual 1964 book by Roald Dahl.

In April, the movie's first trailer was screened during the Warner Bros. presentation at this year's Cinemacon. The exclusive footage from the upcoming film was unveiled, offering a glimpse into the early stages of Willy Wonka's journey. The footage showcased Wonka's extensive travels around the world as he honed his craft and explored the art of chocolate-making within the confines of his own room.

In addition to Chalamet, Wonka's cast includes Keegan-Michael Key, Rowan Atkinson, Sally Hawkins, Olivia Colman, and Jim Carter. The movie will be at least in part a musical.

Wonka, directed and co-written by Paul King, is scheduled to premiere December 15, only in theaters.