Exploring the Darker Side of Willy Wonka in Wonka 2

The Masterful Portrayal of Willy Wonka

Wonka has gotten off to a great start, becoming an instant box office hit and popular among audiences, but its potential sequel must be darker in tone to explain a key Willy Wonka change. Wonka's box office success has established Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet as a star as he nails the role of Willy Wonka despite the high expectations that come with the character. Previous performances by Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp have made the character iconic and therefore hard to replicate. Despite this, Chalamet portrayed Willy Wonka masterfully, which led to such a positive reception to the film and increased the actor's reputation.

Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka in Wonka with credits behind him

Although Chalamet does a great job as the character, there is one key change that a sequel must address. Wonka is a prequel to the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movies, although not in the traditional sense. Unlike the Star Wars prequels which were directly connected to the story despite coming out years later, Wonka doesn't directly tie into either Charlie and the Chocolate Factory film but does explore Willy Wonka's background. This means Chalamet's character helps establish Willy Wonka's origins without being directly placed in any timeline.

Timothee Chalamet giving a speech while holding his hat as Willy Wonka in a scene from Wonka

Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet's Willy Wonka is missing a key part of his personality. While he nails many aspects of Willy Wonka's character, there is one key trait still missing from his performance. Chalamet's version is joyful, confident, and charismatic, but he lacks the cynical nature usually associated with the character. The younger version appears to be much more of an optimist and has less of a cruel side. Despite the traditional fun, eccentric nature of Willy Wonka, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's version does come across as much darker.

Timothee Chalamet as Wonka in the 2023 poster next to Gene Wilder from the 1971 Willy Wonka movie

A Darker Wonka 2 Story Could Explain Willy Wonka's Personality Change

Exploring a darker tone for Wonka 2 offers the perfect opportunity to explain why Willy Wonka's personality changed. The overall feeling of Wonka was positive and comforting, which makes sense considering the intended target audience and the fact it had a festive release. Making the sequel darker would not only be unexpected, but also present the chance to do something completely different with the character and add depth to his origin story. The cynical traits of Willy Wonka already exist, but allowing Chalamet the chance to show how that came to be would offer something fresh to the franchise without betraying it.

TImothee Chalamet as Willy in Wonka

Willy Wonka's complex personality needs a key moment or event to help transform him from Chalamet's more charming version of the character to the slightly more disturbed version that Wilder and Depp convey. The plans for Wonka 2 are still unknown, but it would be fascinating to explore the protagonist's personality change. Watching Chalamet transform into the more popular version of the character would flex the actor's range and offer some deeper emotion to the story. A tragic event causing Willy Wonka to become more damaged would also explain the messed-up things that happen in his factory despite his outwardly vibrant personality.

Timothee Chalamet singing as Willy Wonka in Wonka

What Wonka 2's Darker Story Could Be About

Wonka 2's darker story could explore a tragedy in Willy Wonka's life. Chalamet's version of the character shows that he is naturally jolly, with a passion for invention and creativity. Bringing more emotions into his life, perhaps by introducing someone close to him that dies because of one of his creations, could show why he becomes more twisted compared to his personality in Wonka. A sequel could also be based around someone greedy and entitled exploiting Willy Wonka's good nature, perhaps stealing an invention that leads to a path for revenge. These stories could lead to a darker arc for Willy Wonka and perfectly set up the big character changes.

Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka in Wonka and Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka in Charlie and Chocolate Factory