'Willy Wonka' prequel finally gets a release date after being in development for years

After being in development for around four years, Warner Bros. has finally scheduled to release the Willy Wonka prequel in 2023. The highly anticipated film, titled Wonka, is said to showcase the younger days of the candy architect Willy Wonka before he built the confection empire. Although details about Wonka cast remain unknown, the upcoming fantasy film has Paddington director Paul King at its helm while David Heyman will bankroll it.

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Wonka release date revealed

According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, the Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory prequel, Wonka, is slated to hit the big screen on March 17, 2023. The upcoming film has been in the works for multiple years before the studio finally decided to actively work on it. Now, as Warner Bros. plans to theatrically release the film in March 2023, the Paul King directorial is scheduled to go on floors this year, i.e. 2021. Along with Simon Rich, Wonka's screenplay has been co-written by English actor, comedian & writer, Simon Farnaby. 

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As the United Kingdom is currently under lockdown, the makers are reportedly hoping to commence the shoot in September this year or as soon as the COVID-19 situation gets better in the European country. However, the cast of Wonka has not been finalised by the makers yet.

Furthermore, the plot of the Willy Wonka prequel has also been kept under wraps. If the grapevines are to be believed, there are no other big releases on March 17, 2023, so Wonka won't be clashing with any other big film at the box office. However, Disney holds March 10, 2023, for a live-action movie, which remains untitled. 

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Meanwhile, the 1971's first and original film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory was released by Paramount Pictures. The cult classic starred late American actor Gene Wilder in the titular role of Willy Wonka. The film was based on British novelist Roald Dahl's novel 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory', which released in 1964.

In 2005, Warner Bros. too adapted the Dahl classic by the same title as the novel, starring Johnny Depp in the titular role. The Tim Burton remake also went on to become a blockbuster hit at the box office, back then. 

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