Yahoo Finance Willy Wonka prequel movie adds Paddington director Paul King as March 2023 release date confirmed
The upcoming Willy Wonka prequel movie has signed up Paddington director Paul King and eyed a 2023 release date.
The movie, which will follow the younger days of the chocolate factory boss, has been in the pipeline for a number of years.
It's now been confirmed that King will direct, with a script written by Simon Rich and Simon Farnaby, with studio Warner Bros hoping to release it on March 17, 2023.
Harry Potter's David Heyman is producing, having made a deal with the Roald Dahl estate a few years ago.
Speaking back in 2018, he explained of the movie while speaking to Collider: "We are still trying to figure out how to tell that story, what the story is. It's a prequel, it's not a sequel.
"What makes Willy – when we find him at the chocolate factory doing the golden ticket, where is he before that? What leads him to that place where he's locked himself away? It's how does he get there? So we're playing around with that."
Related: Dwayne Johnson reveals Tim Burton considered him for Willy Wonka role
While the casting is yet to be confirmed, rumours are floating that Marvel's Tom Holland and Timothée Chalamet are being eyed for the role (via Collider), though we'll have to wait and see on that one. Previously, the likes of Ezra Miller, Donald Glover and Ryan Gosling have been speculated for the role.
Wonka was notably played by Gene Wilder in 1971's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, while Johnny Depp played the role in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
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