After helping build the "Harry Potter" franchise and rebooting it with "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," producer David Heyman and Warner Bros. are re-teaming to revive another classic character.
Sources tell Variety that Warner Bros. has acquired the rights to the "Willy Wonka" IP from the Roald Dahl Estate and is planning a new movie centered around the eccentric character.
Heyman will produce with Michael Siegel, who is the manager of the Dahl Estate. Kevin McCormick is exec producing. "The Secret Life of Pets" scribe Simon Rich is penning the script. Courtenay Valenti is overseeing the project for the studio.
Sources reveal that the film will not be an origin tale, but a standalone movie focused on Wonka and his early adventures. It's unknown who from the original book series, other than Wonka, will be involved in the project. If the reboot is a hit, it seems likely that characters like Charlie could be seen in future installments of a possible franchise.
https://variety.com/2016/film/news/willy-wonka-new-movie-david-heyman-warner-bros-1201894143/
Gene Wilder, who not only portrayed Willy Wonka in the 1971 film “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”, but also starred in “The Producers,” “Blazing Saddles,” “Young Frankenstein,” and “Stir Crazy,” passed away on August 29 of complications from Alzheimer’s disease. He was 83.
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https://web.archive.org/web/20161020104522/https://variety.com/2016/film/news/willy-wonka-new-movie-david-heyman-warner-bros-1201894143/
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 21 2016, @02:44PM
Better watch out for those Vermicious Knids!
Have some transgender tea?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 21 2016, @04:06PM
Trump is playing an Umpa Lumpa.
(Score: 1) by termigator on Friday October 21 2016, @04:29PM
And he will be the best damn Umpa Lumpa ever!