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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is just one of those stories that gets remade over and over again (from Depp to Chalamet), but this time, Netflix is trying something very unexpected—an animated feature that takes place after the events we're all so familiar with.
Set to stream in 2017, Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory is set in modern-day London, where Willy Wonka (voiced by Taika Waititi) is facing the consequences of his actions...jail time. As per Netflix:
"Willy Wonka has spent the years since the Golden Ticket contest behind bars (not the chocolate kind) for the crime of turning a child into a blueberry. Having served his time, Wonka returns to his factory determined to add a little sweetness to a bitter world. But one thing stands in his way: teenager Charlie Paley (Heartstopper's Kit Connor) and his friends. Facing eviction, this next generation of "rotten" kids plot to break into the factory, nab a priceless Wonka Bar, and save their homes. But like many before them who enter the fantastical world of the factory, these kids are in for a bit more than they can chew..."
Our beloved Kit Connor said he's excited to be part of Wonka's world.
"I was immediately caught by the early concept art and the directors’ vision for the film—capturing the spirit and heart that made the original story so special, whilst imbuing it with something so fresh and unique," he said in a statement. "It’s such a fun representation of the London that I know. This new adventure is going to surprise audiences around the world. You’re in for a treat!"
Whatever you think about the plot, what's exciting here is that Sony Pictures Imageworks is behind it. It was the studio that created Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and KPop Demon Hunters. Plus, Aron Warner (Shrek) and Timothy Yoo (Back to the Outback, Green Eggs and Ham) are producing, while Waititi is an executive producer. The teaser photo (above) looks pretty sweet, too.
And of course, there will be original songs (as you must have in any remake of this IP).
Netflix acquired the Roald Dahl Story Company in 2021, so it's going full steam ahead on new shows and films. The streamer tapped Jared Stern (The LEGO Batman Movie, Green Eggs and Ham) and Elaine Bogan (Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia, Spirit Untamed) to direct this one.
"Having been raised on the delightfully twisted world of Willy Wonka, it's a privilege to bring his continued adventures to life as twisted adults," Stern and Bogan said in a statement. "And how sweet to do it like never before via the magic of animation, creating a Charlie vs. The Chocolate Factory that’s more deliciously unhinged than your wildest imagination. If we do a rotten job, you can throw us down a rubbish chute!"
We'll remember that!
Until then, look out for Netflix's new reality competition The Golden Ticket, which airs later this year. Yes, that's right: a group of contestants will be entering the factory for a high-stakes social experiment.
"Players will have to adapt and strategize, as a golden ticket only gets you so far,'' Netflix explains. "Wonka’s guests must withstand games, tests, and temptations designed to prove their instincts, resilience, and ability to thrive in the chaos of a retro-futuristic dreamscape."
Let's hope no one turns into a blueberry this time.