Production on Wonka 2 is expected to begin later this year, according to a new report.
Director Paul King previously confirmed back in November that a sequel was in development, noting that the script was about halfway finished. Now, insider Daniel Richtman reports that filming is set to start in late August.
Wonka serves as a prequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Timothée Chalamet stars as a young Willy Wonka who arrives in a new city hoping to open his own chocolate shop. Along the way, he has to outsmart a powerful group of rival chocolatiers and corrupt elites who try to stand in his way.
Plot details for Wonka 2 are still under wraps, but the sequel is expected to continue exploring Wonka’s rise. It could dive deeper into how he builds his chocolate empire and possibly show the path toward the more mysterious and isolated figure seen in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Released in December 2023, Wonka was a huge holiday hit for Warner Bros, scoring $632 milion at the global box office on a production budget of around $125 million. The film was a hit with critics and fans alike, scoring a 82% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a 90% with general audiences.
"With director Paul King at the helm and some solid new songs at the ready, the warmly old-fashioned Wonka puts a suitably sweet spin on the classic character while still leaving some room for the source material's darker undertones," the consensus reads. Audience described it as a "funny, heartwarming musical that dreams up a enw origin story for a classic character."
Chalamet delivered a genuinely fresh take on Willy Wonka, leaning into a version of the character that feels warmer and more sincere. His optimistic portrayal comes across as more human and grounded, a contrast to the more eccentric and mysterious interpretations by Gene Wilder in 1971 and Johnny Depp in 2005.
Chalamet isn't exactly a powerhouse vocalist, but his charm and expessiveness helped sell the overall idealistic tone of the film. And while he may have played the character a bit safe, the way he sings and dances his way through the film establishes a sense of likability.
Wonka 2 was initially expected to release in December 2027, though the "Untitled WB Family Sequel" placeholder has since been confirmed to be Andy Serkis' The Hunt for Gollum.