Timothée Chalamet has been confirmed to play Willy Wonka in a new film exploring the inventor and chocolate maker’s younger days.
The Dune star has been rumoured to take on the iconic role for a few months, with Deadline now confirming that he is on board for Warner Bros’s Wonka.
The film will look at the Roald Dahl character’s adventures before he opens his chocolate factory, with song and dance numbers reportedly set to be included as well, meaning that Chalamet will get to showcase his musical skills.
Wonka will be directed by Paddington‘s Paul King, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ghosts star Simon Farnaby. Harry Potter‘s David Heyman is producing.
Talk of a Willy Wonka prequel has been doing the rounds for a number of years, with the likes of Ryan Gosling, Donald Glover, Ezra Miller and Tom Holland previously reported to be in the running.
The character was famously played by Gene Wilder in 1971’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and Johnny Depp in 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Earlier this year, Chalamet took on the role of Edward Scissorhands’ son in an advert for Cadillac alongside Winona Ryder (who appeared in the 1990 original Tim Burton film).
He is also reported to be reuniting with Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino on his new film Bones & All, which explores a young woman’s cannibalistic desires. The film will reportedly also star Waves’ Taylor Russell.
Last year, meanwhile, Chalamet appeared on Saturday Night Live, where he impersonated a Soundcloud rapper and Harry Styles.
Wonka is currently slated for a March 17, 2023 release in cinemas.
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