The iconic character of Willy Wonka, the center figure in Roald Dahl’s novels Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, has been brought to life by various actors, including Gene Wilder, Johnny Depp, and most recently, Timothee Chalamet. The latter took on the role in Paul King’s 2023 musical fantasy, which follows the origin story of the chocolatier.
Released this month, the movie has received positive reviews, and its ratings suggest the audience might love his portrayal of the character much more than the previous actors who played the role of the founder and proprietor of the Chocolate Factory.
Read More: Why Did Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Never Get a Sequel?
Timothee Chalamet’s Wonka Records the Highest Audience Score in the Film Series
Timothee Chalamet’s version of Willy Wonka has seemed to outshine the portrayals of both Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp, in their respective movies. The film has been doing pretty great at the box office and has also received positive reviews from both critics and audiences alike.
Wonka currently holds an 83% critics score with an outstanding audience score of 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, the highest in the film series. Depp’s 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has a 51% audience score and Gene Wilder’s 1971 film has an 87% audience score on the review aggregator.
Viewers are praising the film for its sweetness and enchantment, particularly lauding Chalamet’s stellar performance. Wilder’s 1971 adaptation, directed by Mel Stuart was received very well by critics and audiences but did not make it big at the box office.
As for Depp, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory received positive reviews from critics and was also a box office hit, making $474 million worldwide. However, the audience did not find it too pleasing and shared that they’d rather watch the original movie.
Read More: Director Applauds “Extraordinary” Timothee Chalamet as He Replaces Johnny Depp in $475M Franchise
Wonka Surpasses $250 Million at the Box Office
Timothee Chalamet’s 2023 film has received a pretty great response not only from critics and audiences but also at the box office. The film is expected to be a remarkable success for Warner Bros. and has already grossed over $170 million domestically and has crossed the $250 million mark worldwide against a $125 million production cost.
The box office numbers for the movie are expected to climb based on the positive reviews it has been receiving. Chalamet has received a nomination for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globe Awards and has thanked fans for supporting the movie.
Taking to his Instagram following its release, he shared, “WOWWWW – actually can’t believe this!! What a week! Thank you to everyone who saw WONKA in theaters this past weekend.” He has also talked about the possibility of reprising his role in the future, saying that he could return to the character if there was a story to be told.
Wonka is playing in theatres.
