How did Willy Wonka meet his first Oompa-Loompa? And how did he start his world-famous chocolate factory? Those are some of the questions answered in the upcoming film Wonka, the prequel origin story of the eccentric chocolatier. Timothée Chalamet stars as a young Willy Wonka in the movie, due out in theatres December 15.
Although there are hints of big production numbers in the trailer, we still aren't hearing any of the movie musical's new songs, penned by songwriter Neil Hannon, frontman of the band The Divine Comedy. However, we do get a wee bit (pun intended) of Hugh Grant singing the Oompa-Loompa song. Check out the trailer above.
In addition to Chalamet and Grant, the cast of the Warner Bros. film also includes Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Matthew Boynton, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Olivia Colman, and more.
The original 1971 film, itself a movie musical based on the Roald Dahl novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, featured songs by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, who had earlier collaborated on Broadway's The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd and Stop the World - I Want to Get Off. Several of the Willy Wonka film songs were interpolated into the 2017 Broadway musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which additionally featured new songs by Hairspray and Some Like It Hot songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. Tony winner Christian Borle originated the title role for Broadway.
The film is directed by Paul King and co-written by King and Simon Farnaby.