Wonka hit theaters in the United States December 15, 2023. This movie, directed by Paul King, has made $140.2 million in the domestic box office and $244.4 million internationally. Even though it’s been about two weeks since the release of Wonka, it is still the number two trending movie according to The Numbers.
This is the third “Willy Wonka” movie to be released, however this is a prequel of the original from 1971, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
Overall this movie was really good. It was entertaining and a good family watch. Wonka is a musical, although it is not overbearing with songs and dance, so if you’re someone who does not enjoy musicals, this movie is still worth the watch.
The main antagonist in all of the Wonka movies is Arthur Slugworth, the head of a rival chocolate company, however the new movie adds a handful of side antagonists like a couple other chocolatiers, a priest, a police captain and owners of an inn. This multitude of other antagonists are all part of what was described as a “Chocolate Cartel” in the film, which was never mentioned in the original movie. However, the other chocolatiers, Prodnose and Fickelgruber, were briefly mentioned in Tim Burton’s 2005 film, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
There are quite a few “easter eggs” throughout the movie from the original and the Tim Burton remake. Small things like Wonka’s cane standing on its own, the coin in the storm drain, Wonka’s little dance on the stairs, and the same line, “Scratch that, reverse it,” all add a sense of nostalgia to the 2023 movie. There are some more noticeable things, too, like the song “Pure Imagination” and the iconic Oompa Loompa song, all echos of the songs sung in the original. There are fewer easter eggs specific to the Tim Burton rework, but there are some, like certain chocolate making people’s hair grow. Of course there are some of these “easter eggs” that reference both previous Wonka movies, like the array of edible decor. These by far are not the only easter eggs either, and if you know both prior movies, they won’t be hard to spot in the new one.
I definitely enjoyed this movie, the interesting special effects and the story that shows what Wonka was doing before the chocolate factory, alone make this movie worthwhile. If you’re a fan of the other Willy Wonka movies, or just looking for a good film to watch with the family, this movie is certainly worth the watch.
