Paddington 2 director Paul King in talks to direct Willy Wonka origins movie

Ryan Gosling is rumoured to play the iconic character

Jack Shepherd
Tuesday 13 February 2018 11:22 GMT
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Will Wonka
Will Wonka

The prospect of another adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has many cinephiles wanting to smash their heads against the wall.

However, Hollywood studios love rebooting beloved adaptations, and Warner Bros. are working on an origins story for Willy Wonka.

While that news should be cause for concern, there’s some hope. Paul King — the director of Paddington 2, the best reviewed movie of all time on Rotten Tomatoes — has entered negations with the studio to helm the upcoming movie, according to Entertainment Weekly.

David Yates — director of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — will helm the upcoming Wonka-based franchise, with Ryan Gosling reportedly in talks to play the iconic character.

Roald Dahl only penned two books featuring Wonka, 1964’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the 1972 sequel Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, but neither will act as inspiration for the origins movie.

Wonka has appeared on the big screen twice before, most recently in Tim Burton’s 2005 adaptation of the story with Johnny Depp in the role. Famously, Gene Wilder also played the character in the 1971 musical Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

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