Timothée Chalamet Is Set to Star as Young Willy Wonka in Upcoming Origin Film

Timothée Chalamet is headed to the chocolate factory. 

The 25-year-old actor has reportedly signed on to play a young Willy Wonka in Warner Bros and the Roald Dahl Story Co.’s upcoming film, Wonka. According to a Deadline exclusive, the film will focus on the chocolate maker and his adventures prior to opening the world’s most famous factory. Sources confirmed that the actor will be using his singing and dancing skills (who knew?) for a handful of musical numbers. 

The report also revealed that negotiations for the project had been in the works for months, with Chalamet being the production company’s top choice. Paul King (Paddington) will direct the flick while he and Simon Farnaby (Ghosts) have penned the script. David Heyman, Luke Kelly, Michael Siegel and Alexandra Derbyshire have all signed on to produce.

Unfortunately, other details on the project have yet to be revealed. However, we do know that production is expected to begin in September, with the movie scheduled to be released on March 17, 2023.

This will be the third version of Dahl’s whimsical narrative to hit the big screen. Gene Wilder famously played the role in the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. In 2005, Johnny Depp took on the character in another adaptation, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 

This exciting news comes at a busy time in Chalamet’s career. The young star has several movies coming out this year, including Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch and Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up.

Gene, Johnny and now Timmy? We can't wait to see what Chalamet does with the role.

Stay up-to-date on every breaking entertainment story by subscribing here.