Prequels have long been one of Hollywood’s favorite genres, but surely the one about Willy Wonka seemed unexpected. But it had good pedigree: It was being helmed by Paul King, best known as the auteur behind the Paddington series. And Wonka, usually played by weirdos like Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp, was going to be played by an actual hottie: Timothée Chalamet. And on Sunday, the actor decided to introduced the public to the first look at him in his Wonka garb himself.
“The suspense is terrible, I hope it will last,” Chalamet wrote on Instagram alongside two pics: one of him in a crushed raspberry turncoat and hat, the other a close-up of his walking cane, the top of which contained a miniature wrapped gift.
Not even 26, Chalamet will be far younger than previous Wonka actors. Wilder was in his late 30s when he made 1971’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, while Depp was in his early 40s in the more accurately titled Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, for frequent director Tim Burton.
Based on the photo, Chalamet’s Wonka looks far more brooding than either. The prequel will follow Wonka before he becomes the honcho of a giant chocolate factory, so perhaps he learned to become an eccentric ham a little later on.
The photos caused a big uproar on social media, including a wide array of jokes.
y’all making the wrong movie cause that is not Willy Wonka pic.twitter.com/4NKcvP00n5
— bex ♡’s laszlo !! ☻ (@milkdancy) October 10, 2021
me fighting them little kids for a golden ticket to enter willy wonka’s factory just so i could see timothée chalamet pic.twitter.com/W7PXIyxwpC
— chu (@chuuzus) October 10, 2021
Brave choice to make Willy Wonka’s origin story set in 2010 Williamsburg. pic.twitter.com/cqtJBCByJK
— sam greisman (@SAMGREIS) October 10, 2021
when the Willy Wonka serial killer theory is confirmed in this movie >> pic.twitter.com/VK2jm8CMKU
— advit (@advitinsoho) October 10, 2021
i never thought i would want to fuck willy wonka but here we are pic.twitter.com/GVq53sW8RB
— cris (@ifeeIkindafree) October 10, 2021
Anyway, get ready for a Hot Willy Wonka Who F*cks, looks like.
(Via EW)