‘Wonka,’ tracing the early adventures of a young Willy Wonka, has marked a significant point in cinema by exploring the untold backstory of one of Roald Dahl’s most iconic characters. With a star-studded cast including Timothée Chalamet, Calah Lane, and others, the film offered a fresh perspective on the chocolatier’s journey.
In a recent chat with Screen Rant, Paul King expressed his eagerness to continue the story, giving only one condition to make it happen:
“I would love to make another ‘Wonka’ film if we could find the right story. Like I said at the beginning, this is a character Dahl came back to again and again. He felt there was mileage in it. He’s a storyteller a billion miles above anything I could ever dream up.”
His words went on:
“So, there is material to work from. I think if we came back to the character, it would probably be between here and Charlie because there’s 30 years there to explore, so there could be some mileage, but it’s a tough act to follow and it’s a tough act. But there’s got to be the Velvet Night, right?”
There’s More To Tell About The Character
King has previously mentioned that there are more tales to tell about Wonka, hinting at Dahl’s unpublished works as potential sources for future films. Though Warner Bros. has yet to officially announce a sequel, the director shared he was open to the idea last year by saying:
“Dahl was definitely interested in taking Willy Wonka on. There’s drafts that didn’t really go anywhere, and there’s a short story. He didn’t really write sequels, but this was the one book where he clearly felt there was more in the tank there. There’s an awful lot more Wonka story that we have that we would like to tell.”
He also highlighted the standalone nature of the first movie:
“It’s not like ‘Dune: Part One’ where you go, ‘This is what’s happening in Part Two.’ Hopefully it works exquisitely as a stand-alone movie. But I would definitely like to do more. And I’d like to spend more time in this world, and meet some more Oompa Loompas.”
Considering the overwhelming positive reception and box office triumph of ‘Wonka,’ along with King’s track record of creating beloved sequels, such as the critically acclaimed follow-up to ‘Paddington,’ which boasts a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes, the possibility of a new ‘Wonka’ film seems promising.
