Timothée Chalamet’s ‘Wonka’ is filming at the Rivoli Ballroom in Brockley

If you’re out in south London this week, you could spot some icons of the silver screen on their way to film a Hollywood blockbuster. 

After shooting in Lyme Regis, Bath and Warner Bros Studios Leavesden, ‘Wonka’ has arrived in Brockley, SE4. The film, which is a prequel to ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’, stars indie darling Timothée Chalamet as a young Willy Wonka and is currently filming at the glitzy 1950s venue the Rivoli Ballroom. 

Chalamet is currently in London, but it’s not clear if he will be shooting any scenes at the ballroom. The rest of the ‘Wonka’ cast is packed with British legends like Olivia Colman, Matt Lucas, Sally Hawkins and Rowan Atkinson, plus US stars Keegan-Michael Key and Rich Fulcher, so regardless of Timmy’s schedule there are plenty of big names who could be gracing Brockley with their presence. 

You’ll have to wait a bit to see a glimpse of the Rivoli on screen, though because ‘Wonka’ isn’t set to arrive in UK cinemas until spring 2023.

This isn’t the first time Hollywood’s greats have turned up at the Rivoli Ballroom. It’s previously been used as a filming location for ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’, Tom Hardy’s Krays film ‘Legend’ and TV shows like ‘Killing Eve’ and ‘Ted Lasso’, as well as hosting a one-off gig by The White Stripes and a lot of tea dances and drag shows.

‘Wonka’ is directed by Paul King, who made ‘Paddington’, and will follow the titular experimental confectioner in the days before opening his famous factory and becoming the ‘renowned scrumdiddlyumptious Mozart of chocolate’. It will also show us just how he met the Oompa Loompas, who went on to work for him on his inventive concoctions.

A real-life chocolate factory has opened in London.

Get to know Timothée Chalamet better by revisiting our interview with the star.