First Gene Wilder, then Johnny Depp, now Timothée Chalamet will don Willy Wonka’s top hat. The actor is set to play the eccentric chocolate factory owner in his early years in a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-inspired prequel, Wonka, and yes, he will be singing and dancing, according to Variety.
Plot details are scant, but Paddington’s Paul King will direct, David Heyman, of the Harry Potter franchise, is producing, and production is expected to start in September. It’s one of a host of high-profile roles Chalamet has in the offing: he’s about to appear in Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch, stars opposite Zendaya in Denis Villeneuve’s much-anticipated sci-fi epic Dune, and will play living music legend Bob Dylan in the biopic Going Electric.
Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka
Silver Screen CollectionIn Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book, schoolboy Charlie Bucket is one of five children to win a tour of the world-famous factory—not to mention a lifetime supply of chocolate. Perhaps Wonka will chart the future confectionary baron’s adventures in Loompaland, or explain what exactly inspired his creative methods of punishment for spoiled and greedy children. Regardless, it’s safe to say Chalamet fans will be lining up for these particular golden tickets.
This article originally appeared on Vogue.co.uk
Also read:
Timothée Chalamet’s dreamiest on-screen moments
How Timothée Chalamet is ushering in a new era for masculinity in Hollywood