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Author Roald Dahl’s 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is an enduring classic that has entertained children for generations. The same can also be said about filmmaker Mel Stuart’s 1971 movie adaptation, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. With Dahl writing the screenplay (as well as some pivotal uncredited rewrites from The Omen screenwriter David Seltzer), all the film needed was the right star to embody the whimsical character of candy industry magnate Willy Wonka. They (and the world) got more than they ever could’ve imagined with the casting of comedic actor Gene Wilder.
Wilder was famously offered the role on the spot of his audition, beating out greats that included Fred Astaire and Peter Sellers. nd when it came time for the performance, he proved Stuart’s instincts were keenly right: Gene Wilder’s Will Wonka remains one of the most iconic characters in film to this day, and now Wilder’s Willy Wonka will get to continue entertaining fans, thanks to A.I. and a new Netflix show that’s about to debut.
Take a first look below!
Netflix’s “Wonka’s Golden Ticket” Is Bringing Back Gene Wilder’s Voice (First Look)
Netflix has revealed the first trailer for Wonka’s The Golden Ticket, a new reality show competition that puts adult contestants in a real game show version of Willy Wonka’s iconic chocolate factory, based on the 1971 film’s set design. The entire trailer is narrated by the A.I., based on Gene Wilder’s voice, who seems to be the “host” of the program. If so, that will be a new bar for how TV (and/or films) are using A.I. for vocal recreation, and an interesting experiment in how audiences will react to it.
Gene Wilder’s wife, Karen B. Wilder (on behalf of the estate), released a statement about bringing the late actor’s voice back to life for Wonka’s The Golden Ticket: “More than five decades after Gene brought Willy Wonka to life, people of all ages and backgrounds around the world continue to find joy, laughter, and inspiration in his performance. Gene had a remarkable ability to bring humor, wonder and heart into people’s lives, and that connection has endured for generations. We are delighted that ‘Wonka’s The Golden Ticket’ celebrates the warmth and imagination that he brought to the role, introducing that magic to a new generation while honoring the fans who have cherished it for decades.”
As someone who grew up with Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (and its soundtrack) being a formative part of childhood, and a fan of so much of Gene Wilder’s work… this is a bit unsettling. Wilder’s voice, intonation, and general charisma were so emotive, idiosyncratic, and just… human. This sounds like a computer reading something out loud in voice mimicry. That said, there’s a whole new generation for whom a primary form of entertainment is listening to AI audio reads over video “shorts,” so a tailored AI vocal performance like Wilder’s Wonka may be poetry by comparison.
It also depends largely on the dynamics of the actual reality-gameshow that is built around it. Squid Game: The Challenge got over many potential pitfalls (lock the mock executions) by acutally actually having an entertaining sporting competition that justified the theatrics. If the AI Wonka is hosting, will it be as witty, comedic, and playful as Wilder was while in character? We shall (soon) see.
According to the logline: “Step into a world of pure imagination when the gates of the Chocolate Factory reopen this Fall. Wonka’s The Golden Ticket, a new Netflix reality competition series, arrives on September 23rd.”
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