- Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka is now predicted to bring in $35-40 million.
- The 2005 adaptation of Roald Dahl’s novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, was commercially successful despite mixed reactions.
- While it remains to be seen how fans and critics will receive Wonka, early press screenings and the world premiere build anticipation for the film.
Willy Wonka’s return to cinemas is looking sweeter as the film’s predicted revenue has increased. Director Paul King’s Wonka, a prequel to Roald Dahl’s renowned novel, was initially expected to bring in around $20 million during its opening weekend. However, with Timothée Chalamet as the iconic chocolatier, the movie’s earnings are anticipated to reach approximately double that amount in its U.S. release.
As reported by Deadline, Wonka is now on track to make $35 million to $40 million when the musical adventure premieres in theaters on Friday, December 15th. This is a substantial increase from the initial estimate of $20 million during its pre-Christmas release weekend.
This isn’t the first time the story has been adapted for the screen. Johnny Depp portrayed the famous confectioner in Tim Burton’s 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which shares the same name as Dahl’s 1964 children’s book. The adaptation performed exceptionally well at the box office, earning an impressive $476 million worldwide during the summer of 2005.
Chalamet has big shoes to fill when he takes on the role of Willy Wonka in the upcoming movie, and the increased revenue predictions are certainly promising. However, the film still has a $125 million production budget to account for, in addition to marketing and advertising costs. The success of the film will also hinge on capturing the hearts of moviegoers as a new interpretation of the beloved character.
While Charlie and the Chocolate Factory received an “A-” rating on CinemaScore, it did not fare as well on Rotten Tomatoes, earning a poor audience score of 51% against over 250,000 verified ratings. This means Wonka could have an easier time surpassing Depp’s reimagination in terms of fan perception, but it will still be a challenge to top the original Gene Wilder film, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, which earned a 91% Tomatometer and an 87% audience score.
Although Wonka won’t open in U.S. theaters until Friday, December 15, director Paul King’s film has already hosted some press screenings. There are no reviews available on Rotten Tomatoes yet, but the world premiere in London is planned for Tuesday, November 28. In the meantime, fans can sate their curiosity by watching the latest clips and a featurette for the film.