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Following the massive success of Paddington 2 and its 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, writer/director Paul King faced the challenge of deciding his next project. Despite the high expectations set by his previous work, King chose to take on the origin story of Roald Dahl’s iconic character, Willy Wonka. The announcement of Wonka was met with skepticism and criticism online, but King remained enthusiastic when discussing the development of this daring prequel starring Timothée Chalamet.
Producer David Heyman presented the Wonka origin concept to King and his writing partner Simon Farnaby, and King immediately felt a connection to the material. His childhood memories of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the beloved ’71 film adaptation with Gene Wilder inspired him to explore the emotional depth of Dahl’s story. Despite initial doubts about the necessity of an origin story for such a beloved character, King’s passion for the project drove him forward.
Exploring the World of Wonka
To develop the backstory of Willy Wonka, King delved into the original book and drew inspiration from other works by Dahl. He envisioned a chocolate cartel as the central antagonist, drawing parallels to the villainous trio in Fantastic Mr. Fox. The character of Scrubbit, played by Olivia Colman, was inspired by a Dahl story that showcased a darker and more adult-themed narrative.
King also drew from the visuals and themes of the ’71 film adaptation to create a cohesive connection between the two interpretations of Willy Wonka. Working closely with Chalamet, King incorporated elements of Wilder’s performance and iconic scenes into his version of the character. The process of bringing this fantastical world to life was a surreal and joyous experience for King, who found moments of pure delight in recreating the magic of his childhood.
Comparing Wonka to Previous Works
While Wonka shares similarities with Paddington in its portrayal of a whimsical yet heartfelt narrative, King notes that the worlds of the two films are distinct. Both films feature endearing protagonists navigating quirky environments, but the tone and style of each story set them apart in unique ways.
Analysis of Paddington and Wonka Characters
“Paddington lives in a very warm, fuzzy world where there’s the odd rotten egg, but most people are essentially kind and decent and generous. That’s a very positive view of humanity,” King offered. “Dahl’s universe is extremely different. Most people are absolutely ghastly, awful, selfish swine. And that’s great fun to write. That felt like a nice pivot for me, because [in Dahl’s work] everyone is an unredeemed horror, apart from the occasional kind of shining soul.”
Plucky and determined, Paddington and Wonka are resilient rebels against cynicism, so their movies have a thematic throughline in common. This battle for sincerity and empathy speaks to King, who noted a personal inspiration from Classical Hollywood. “I’m a huge Frank Capra fan, and he directed the definitive ‘little man in the big cynical world’ movies, like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” the English helmer said, referring to the Jimmy Stewart-fronted political dramedy about an everyman who becomes a senator.
Inspiration from Willy Wonka
Though Mr. Smith is intended by a corrupt crew of politicians to be little more than a nodding stooge, this newcomer to Congress fights for what’s right until he literally collapses. “I must have seen it about 100 times,” King said of the 1939 movie. “It really touched my heart.” This inspired him to make young Wonka an outsider. “Willy Wonka isn’t somebody who goes along with the world as it is,” King reasoned. “He’s a dreamer and an inventor. And he’s a driver of change.”
A crucial clue to the inner workings of Wonka was found in the ’71 movie’s most memorable song. “There’s this gorgeous line in ‘Pure Imagination,’ where it goes, ‘Want to change the world? There’s nothing to it.’” King explained, “Ten syllables, and it’s more profound than most people’s life’s work.” This breezy determination brought him back to Capra’s hero.
