Warner Bros. has set the Willy Wonka prequel “Wonka” to be released on March 17, 2023, the studio announced Tuesday.
“Paddington” director Paul King will direct the movie, which chronicles the eccentric chocolatier’s adventures prior to opening his infamous factory.
David Heyman, who produced the “Harry Potter” film series for Warner Bros., will produce the movie alongside Michael Siegel, the manager of the Roald Dahl Estate. Warner Bros. acquired the rights to the “Willy Wonka” IP from the estate back in 2016.
Kevin McCormick will executive produce. Simon Rich, who wrote “The Secret Life of Pets,” is handling the screenplay, and Courtenay Valenti and Jon Gonda are overseeing “Wonka” for Warner Bros.
The late Gene Wilder made Wonka a beloved figure with his portrayal of the chocolatier in 1971’s “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,” based on Dahl’s 1964 children’s novel “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Warner Bros. rebooted the movie in 2005, with Johnny Depp playing Wonka.
If the new movie does well, Warner Bros. could potentially turn it into a franchise, with characters like Charlie Bucket making appearances in future installments.