Wonka

"Every good thing in this world started with a dream."

2023 1h 57m EN

👍

7.0

SOLID

★7.0TMDB · 4,584

ComedyFamilyFantasy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Willy Wonka – chock-full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time – is proof that the best things in life begin with a dream, and if you’re lucky enough to meet Willy Wonka, anything is possible.

“Every good thing in this world started with a dream.”

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Cast

Timothée Chalamet
Willy Wonka
Calah Lane
Noodle
Keegan-Michael Key
Chief of Police
Hugh Grant
Oompa Loompa
Paterson Joseph
Arthur Slugworth
Olivia Colman
Mrs. Scrubbit
Tom Davis
Bleacher
Jim Carter
Abacus Crunch

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Paul King
Writers: Simon Farnaby, John Greaves, Paul King
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

$125M budget — tentpole studio territory.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Made its money back 5.1× over at the box office.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 3 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

AWARDS

Did you know

Part of the "Wonka Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

290+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Paul King, shot by Chung Chung-hoon. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Joby Talbot. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Paul King directs. Chung Chung-hoon behind the camera. Joby Talbot scores. Mark Everson cuts. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1$125M budget — tentpole studio territory.
2Made its money back 5.1× over at the box office.
3Released 3 years ago.
4International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.
5Part of the "Wonka Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
6290+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.
7Directed by Paul King, shot by Chung Chung-hoon. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
8Original score by Joby Talbot. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
9Editor Mark Everson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
10Timothée Chalamet and Calah Lane and Keegan-Michael Key carry the top of the cast.
11Marketing tagline: "Every good thing in this world started with a dream.".
12IMDB entry: tt6166392 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
13Classified under 9 themes, including "factory", "chocolate", "candy", "musical".

The technical file

Cinematography: Chung Chung-hoon
Original score: Joby Talbot
Editing: Mark Everson
Production design: Nathan Crowley
Costume design: Lindy Hemming
Makeup / hair: Heather Manson
VFX supervisor: Graham Page
Sound: Paul Massey
Stunt coordinator: Paul Lowe
Runtime: 117 min · 1h 57m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $125,000,000
Box office: $634,502,312
Return: 508% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: Wonka (2023)

Part of

Wonka Collection

A series of prequel films diving into the history of Willy Wonka and how he was able to build his magical chocolate factory.

Also by

Paul King

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2023-12-11
★ 7/10
The opening bars of "Pure Imagination" give us a clue as to what's coming next, and for the most part it's a strong testament to the engaging and charismatic man playing the eponymous chocolatier. He arrives is a town controlled by a chocolate cartel that is determined to use any means possible to ensure he can't fulfil his dream. That dream? Well ever since he was a child, he has wanted to make chocolate as well as his mother (Sally Hawkins). To do that, though, he needs a shop - and without a silver sovereign to his name that's not going to happen. It's winter, so his first order of business is somewhere to sleep. Luckily (?!?) "Bleacher" (Tom Davis) finds him on a cold bench and takes him to the welcoming arms of "Mrs. Scrubbit" (Olivia Colman) who offers him a bed for the night, though pretty soon he realises it's more of a bed in return for a life of indentured laundry servitude. Still, he's ingenious and he doesn't lose sight of his goal, so together with his fellow inmate "Noodle" (Calah Lane) and book-keeper "Abacus Crunch" (Jim Carter) they concoct a plan to addict the population to the young man's sweets whilst bringing down the evil trio of truffle terrorisers and ensuring "Scrubbit" and "Bleacher' get their comeuppance too!. Meantime "Wonka" has other problem. Someone is pinching his product! An elaborate trap and a large jar introduce us to a tiny "Oompa-Loompa" (Hugh Grant) who looks like he's spent way too long on the sun-bed. With his own debt to pay, the two agree an alliance that - well we all know what happens to that. It's a little over-choreographed, I think, and the original songs are not especially memorable, but it doesn't hang about and there's no doubting that Chalamet is enjoying himself, and that's a little bit contagious and we head to a denouement that takes fondue to a ridiculous level... It features a strong and well matched ensemble cast and though maybe a little too long, I did enjoy it.
r96sk2023-12-13
★ 8/10
Enjoyed this! 2023's <em>'Wonka'</em> is very good! It's an original story based upon the Roald Dahl novel, so it isn't an adaptation as such like the 1971 and 2005 flicks. With that I didn't find it quite as interesting as what's portrayed in the aforementioned films, but I do appreciate (and prefer, tbh) that they went a different way with it here. And it comes out nicely. Timothée Chalamet gives a strong performance in the lead role. Those behind Chalamet are entertaining, from Calah Lane to Keegan-Michael Key to the trio of Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas and Mathew Baynton - the latter three's dance number for the Chief of Police near the beginning is amusing. The musical elements in general are solid. Tom Davis and Olivia Colman are fun too. All characters played by those mentioned above after Lane could've easily have been extremely cringey, but thankfully I didn't find that to be the case for any of them at all - very well written, shown and cast in that regard. Someone I have yet to mention is a certain someone as Lofty, an Oompa-Loompa. Hugh Grant is excellent as the orange-skinned, green-haired fellow, even if they did use Grant's best bits in the trailers; which I usually avoid due to those sort of (albeit minor) spoilers, but evidently failed to do so here. All in all, I'd say this is a success. Credit to them for delivering, especially as I was kinda nonplussed by the already noted trailers (Grant aside).
Manuel São Bento2023-12-15
★ 7/10
FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://www.firstshowing.net/2023/review-paul-kings-wonka-musical-is-a-truly-delightful-origin-story/ "Wonka offers a fresh perspective on the iconic character while paying homage to Roald Dahl's timeless tale of morality. Paul King succeeds in delivering a jolly, entertaining, visually dazzling take on the origins of Willy Wonka, featuring a fearlessly committed cast, tons of humor, and colorful, immersive technical achievements. Despite the predictable, formulaic narrative lacking the same creativity of other filmmaking departments, it remains a sweet, harmonious, satisfying viewing experience that should be seen on the big screen." Rating: B+