Willy Wonka had a dream before he created his world of pure imagination. The first trailer for the musical prequel film, Wonka, has been released. Starring Timothée Chalamet as the titular chocolatier, originally played by Gene Wilder, the trailer offers a delicious backstory. And yes, Hugh Grant makes an appearance as an Oompa-Loompa.
In the trailer for Wonka, we are introduced to Chalamet’s young aspiring chocolatier. Addressing a crowd in a town square, he declares, “I’m something of a magician, inventor, chocolate maker.” The whimsical journey continues as Chalamet’s Wonka faces obstacles from a “chocolate cartel” that is hindering his chocolate business. Jim Carter plays Arthur Slugworth, Wonka’s biggest business rival, who asserts, “You can’t get a shop without selling chocolate… And you can’t sell chocolate without a shop.”
Produced by David Heyman of Barbie and Harry Potter fame and directed by Paul King of Paddington, the film aims to celebrate old-time musicals. King stated in an interview with EW that he did not seek to recreate the classic Gene Wilder film but rather pay homage to traditional musicals that hold a special place in his heart. While the trailer doesn’t reveal any original songs, it showcases highly choreographed dance sequences and elaborate production numbers, albeit with interruptions due to the town square’s strict “No daydreaming” rule.
For fans of the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory or Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Wonka trailer offers plenty of chocolate-y Easter eggs. Chalamet, donning Willy Wonka’s iconic velvet jacket and brown top hat, is seen swirling around lamp posts and inventing a unique chocolate that makes three adversaries float in the sky. Towards the end of the trailer, Hugh Grant, known for his role as the villain in King’s acclaimed film Paddington 2, appears as a distinguished Oompa-Loompa. Grant humorously declares, “I will have you know I am a perfectly respectable size for an Oompa Loompa.”
Joining Chalamet and Grant in the star-studded cast are Olivia Colman, Rowan Atkinson, Keegan-Michael Key, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Mathew Baynton, Natasha Rothwell, Jim Carter, and Sally Hawkins as Wonka’s mother. Hawkins encourages viewers, saying, “Every good thing in this world started with a dream. So you hold on to yours.” Wonka will be released in theaters on December 15th.
