Dwayne Johnson’s filmography has consistently offered movie-going audiences the promise of out-and-out entertainment. The guarantee of delivering cinematic amusement and extravaganza has not just been limited to a specific audience. Whether it be his involvement in an endeavor like the 2007 sports family comedy The Game Plan, the 2009 sci-fi adventure thriller Race to Witch Mountain, or even the 2016 3D-animated musical fantasy Moana—the former WWE superstar has never once attempted to shy away from catering to diverse patrons; in this case, the children.
With the aforementioned in mind, we can ascertain that Johnson’s acting prowess is not limited to specific genres or classifications. If required, the man can do it all. This explains why Tim Burton, for his 2005 cinematic rendition of Roald Dahl’s 1964 children’s novel titled, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, considered (albeit momentarily) the Black Adam talent for the iconic role of Willy Wonka.
Back in 2020, the Jumanji talent took to Instagram to shed light on this intriguing revelation. Johnson’s candid confession pushed fans to wonder what could’ve been.
Dwayne Johnson Almost Played Johnny Depp’s Popular Character
One of Johnny Depp‘s most revered acting performances, at least among his devotees, is his portrayal of Willy Wonka. While the depiction of the character reaped mixed reviews from critics at the time, it goes without saying that it impacted most of our childhoods. It may have been a difficult undertaking to match the expectations of the audiences who were already acquainted with the previous film reiteration of Wonka, embodied by legendary actor Gene Wilder.
Regardless of the pressure of having to maintain the lauded stature of the eccentric, unhinged, and magical chocolatier, the efforts of the Edward Scissorhands alum were effective enough to do the trick.
Dwayne Johnson‘s assertion, however, begs the crucial question of what the character would have looked like if he were the one who ended up playing it. It should go without saying that there would have been a big difference; not only in the depiction but also in its subsequent reception. In his Instagram post, the Red Notice talent said the following:
“Some cool history—back in the early 2000s, iconic director, Tim Burton had considered me to play Willy Wonka in his remake, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I remember thinking ‘Holy sh*t, I’m in!'”
Dwayne Johnson’s Hollywood career was barely getting started at the moment. He hadn’t yet accomplished the feats for which he is now known to millions of people. He lacked the acting chops necessary to make it big at the international box office as well as the proficiency necessary to garner critical acclaim. In short, the Black Adam star was inexperienced back in the 2000s. This ultimately proved to be a roadblock in his efforts to take on the Roald Dahl-penned eccentric character in Burton’s rendition of the classic tale.
What Stopped Dwayne Johnson From Portraying Willy Wonka
As we all know, the role went to Johnny Depp, who Johnson claims was “the biggest star in the world” around that time. Despite this, the former professional wrestler continues to be grateful for even being considered for the illustrious part. The actor claimed that he constantly “raises a glass” in honor of unfulfilled aspirations and dreams. According to Johnson, these unrealized outcomes end up becoming “the best thing that never happened.”
Following was his statement:
“…That was many years ago when I was just starting out in Hollywood with no foundation of global box office strength or any real acting experience to even pull it off. The role, of course, went to Johnny Depp, who at that time was the biggest star in the world. The rest was history … The fact that Tim even considered me (albeit I’m sure he considered for all of 7 seconds) sure meant a helluva lot to me as I was just breaking into the business with no idea what the future had in store.”
At the end of the heartfelt paragraph, Johnson inserted a hashtag that allowed his followers to envision what his interpretation of the character would have looked like. “Big brown bald tattooed Wonka,” is what he concluded his revelation with. At times, it becomes important to remember that what doesn’t come to fruition is often for the better. Nevertheless, this does not preclude movie fans from envisioning what the world would have looked like if Willy Wonka had been portrayed by Dwayne Johnson.
At present, enthusiasts of Roald Dahl’s timeless tale can anticipate Timothée Chalamet taking on the role of the magical, mysterious, and bizarre chocolate-maker in the upcoming Paul King-directed musical fantasy film Wonka, scheduled for a December 15, 2023 release. This cinematic spectacle will follow the early years of the movie’s titular character, serving to act as a prequel to the 1971 movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
Source: Instagram
