Movie prequels are nothing new, and although prequels are often criticized, movie producers are fearless in releasing their additions and spins to beloved classics and their characters. The movie “Wonka” is a prequel to the story of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and its cast was revealed in late 2021, with filming starting that December. “Wonka” currently has an approval rating of 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and brought in a domestic box office debut of $39 million over the weekend.
Of course, many were excited about the movie itself. Still, it was the cast that had viewers gravitating to the theaters on Dec. 15. Actors Timothee Chalamet and Hugh Grant caught the attention of viewers considering their differing audiences spanning every age. Unfortunately for the cast and those excited to watch the movie, there was limited talk about the film due to the SAG-AFTRA strike during the scheduled release of trailers. Due to the strike, many actors who were a part of the union could not talk about upcoming projects.
With the movie’s announcement, many questioned its premise- what would “Wonka“ be about? The lack of promotion for the film due to the strike made it incredibly difficult for viewers to fully understand what the movie would cover, as the actors portraying the characters could not say anything. Now that the strike has ended, however, actors in the film have finally been able to promote their movie and reveal some details. “Wonka” is not associated with the previous films in any way. Instead of building off previous movies, “Wonka” is just an addition to the broad story of Willy Wonka in general.
The movie features the infamous Wonka before he became the chocolatier everyone knows him as. The movie paints Wonka as somebody easy to root for, a classic underdog story, as he fulfills his dream of becoming a chocolatier. In the movie, Wonka is seen constantly facing adversity as he tries to implement his chocolate in an already monopolized town, constantly in conflict with the preexisting chocolatiers. The portrayal of Wonka by Chalamet is unmatched as he is able to captivate the audience with his performance, truly embodying the wit and charm of Wonka. Grant acting as the Oompa Loompa Lofty was entertaining and comical, while his character was a bit more stoic it created a great balance that mixed with the quirky nature of Wonka.
“Wonka” has received some mixed feedback from viewers and critics. One notable controversy is that Grant plays the movie’s famous Oompa Loompas. Many considered this casting decision outrageous as it took away opportunities from little people who had already struggled to get jobs in the industry.
Movie-wise, many thought the movie itself was pretty enjoyable. Senior Kiley Knudson said, “The Willy Wonka movie brought me more joy than I could have imagined.” Many agreed with Knudson’s thoughts, often describing “Wonka” as a feel-good movie that brought back childlike wonder.
“Wonka” is available now in theaters. Plans for its streaming release are still unknown but suspected of being put onto HBO Max.
