Paddington director Paul King in talks to direct Willy Wonka

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

We've known for several years that another Willy Wonka film was in the works, and according to THR, Paul King is currently in final negotiations to direct the reimagining of Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." King is the writer/director behind the wildly popular and exceptionally sweet PADDINGTON movies, the second of which still holds an astounding 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, so he might just be the perfect man to bring Wonka back.

Exactly what form WILLY WONKA will take is being kept under wraps, but producer David Heyman had previously teased to /Film that the Warner Bros. film wouldn't be a remake, but possibly an origin story of the eccentric confectionery inventor. It also likely won't draw upon existing Roald Dahl books, which makes it a little challenging to find that sweet spot. "It’s challenging because you don’t have Dahl, you don’t have a Dahl book, and yet you have a Dahl character," Heyman said. "But I think there’s a lot in his character that suggests who he is and also where he might come from or what his childhood or his middle age might have been like. So we’re exploring that. We’re discussing it. We’re in the very early stages and very excited about what lies ahead." As Heyman himself said, this interview was conducted in the very early stages of the project, so WILLY WONKA could take quite a different form by the time it hits theaters. Warner Bros. is hoping that WILLY WONKA will be the start of a new franchise which will "standout artistically." Of course they are.

Is there room in your heart for another "reimagining" of CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY?