Have you seen the scrum-diddly-umptious new trailer for Wonka? It showcases Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet as the world's most famous confectioner, Willy Wonka in a delicious-looking, Roald Dahl-themed musical origin story.
Wonka is helmed by Paddington director Paul King and given his accomplished background, we're already imagining the whimsy and wonder that's to come. On top of all that, we get to see how Wonka became who he is and how he opened that iconic chocolate factory seen in later stories.
We'll introduce the cast of characters momentarily, along with some eye-catching new posters. For now, roll up and revel in the trailer for December's must-see sweet treat.
Did you enjoy that? Here's a breakdown of each new Wonka character in greater detail.
Timothée Chalamet is... Willy Wonka
The Oscar-nominated star of Call Me By Your Name and Dune puts on an all-singing, all-dancing performance as the young Wonka. The movie retraces Willy's early attempts to fire children's imaginations with a stupendous chocolate factory.
But you know what they say about the road to good intentions? The Wonka trailer details the title character's hilarious early attempts to win youngsters over with an assortment of Wallace and Gromit-style gadgets. No doubt this will allow Chalamet and director Paul King to unleash some brilliant slapstick comedy around the eye-catching musical numbers.
2. Rowan Atkinson is... Father Julius
The veteran British comedian plays a priest who becomes embroiled in Wonka's adventures, which include a church filled with animals. Can you imagine anything better than Mr. Bean pairing with the director of Paddington? We can't.
3. Paterson Joseph is... Slugworth
Peep Show fans will revel in the presence of Paterson Joseph as one of the film's villains, Slugworth. Remember that name? He played a role in the 1971 Gene Wilder classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, so we imagine that the events of this film will connect to it in some way.
4. Olivia Colman is... Mrs. Scrubit
Let's face it, Olivia Colman brightens up any movie in which she appears. The Oscar-winning veteran of film and TV plays Mrs. Scrubit whom Wonka tries to win over with his initial attempts at magic. Needless to say, it doesn't go well. Nevertheless, we're hungry for some Chalamet/Colman comic chemistry.
5. Matt Lucas is... Prodnose
As a veteran of Little Britain, Matt Lucas is well-versed in portraying broad and grotesque characters. He plays Prodnose, one of the cabal of baddies looking to presumably bring Willy Wonka down to the ground.
6. Matthew Baynton is... Fickelgruber
The acclaimed star of Horrible Histories, Matthew Baynton, plays our snobbish lead villain. Fickelgruber appears to harbour a personal grudge against Wonka and is so hissable that even a mention of the poor causes him to gag. We love his cartoonishly evil qualities already.
7. Keegan-Michael Key is... Chief of Police
One half of comedy duo Key and Peele (the other being director Jordan Peele), Keegan-Michael Key plays the head of the local constabulary who butts heads with Wonka. What's the betting that Willy's confectioneering magic will win over the Chief of Police come the end of the film?
8. Hugh Grant is... Oompa Loompa
Here's the character we've been waiting for. There's a clear lineage between this movie and the 1971 Wonka film through the design of Hugh Grant's solitary Oompa Loompa, everything from the orange face down to the dress sense.
Unlike the original movie, Grant's Oompa Loompa talks – all the better for harnessing the Paddington 2 star's skill with acerbic one-liners. His character also gets actively involved in Willy's journey, and one assumes he's the Oompa Loompa who gathers Wonka's workforce in the soon-to-be-opened chocolate factory.
9. Calah Lane is... Noodle
Screen newcomer Calah Lane portrays Wonka's plucky new sidekick, a street urchin who helps unlock the title character's potential for magic and chocolate making.
Wonka is released on December 8th. If you can't wait that long and are looking for a magical Cineworld experience, have you heard about our Cineworld Family Ticket? It invites kids and grown-ups alike to be more childish and you can find out more about the raft of new family releases by clicking the link below.
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