Netflix's Charlie And The Chocolate Factory Sequel Sends Willy Wonka To Prison

You know, we're always saying it: It's about time Willy Wonka faced justice for his crimes. In 1971, "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" was an incredibly charming (though occasionally off-putting) musical based on the classic Roald Dahl book "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". Over the intervening 50 years, however, it's become harder and harder to ignore the optics of an allegedly twisted chocolatier/recluse inviting select children to his factory, subjecting them to a series of torturous candy-based events, and getting away with it Scott-free. We, the people, demand restitution.

That's apparently the premise of Netflix's upcoming "Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory," a scintillating courtroom drama in the same vein as the cancel culture-focused Luca Guadagnino misfire "After the Hunt." Okay, so that was a lie just to make sure you're paying attention. What this really is, of course, is the very first animated adaptation of the beloved IP, which Netflix officially acquired the rights to upon its purchase of the Roald Dahl Story Company in 2021. This new movie is set years after the events of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," with Wonka having served out his sentence in jail and finally ready to return to his factory. But, as the title implies, a new character (who also happens to be named Charlie, coincidentally?) and his friends find themselves drawn into the orbit of the infamous eccentric for another bout of mischief.

Netflix announced the news along with the considerable talent involved. "Heartstopper" heartthrob Kit Connor voices young Charlie Paley and will star opposite Taika Waititi as the voice of Wonka himself. "Charlie vs the Chocolate Factory" comes from directors Jared Stern and Elaine Bogan, along with animation studio Sony Pictures Imageworks of "Spider-Verse" and "KPop Demon Hunters" fame. You can check out the first-look image above.

Netflix spent a lot of money getting into the Roald Dahl business and, by gosh, it's going to make the most of it. Although we've only seen sporadic fruits of this original deal, such as 2022's "Matilda the Musical," this latest project clearly represents the streamer's biggest and buzziest attempt yet to make the Willy Wonka brand stick. Described as "an imaginative new take on the beloved universe," "Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory" will incorporate new and original songs, several new characters, a modern-day setting in London, and perhaps even a recognizable character or two beyond Wonka.

Directors Jared Stern and Elaine Bogan prepared a tongue-in-cheek, pun-laden statement celebrating the news:

"Having been raised on the delightfully twisted world of Willy Wonka, it's a privilege to bring his continued adventures to life as twisted adults. And how sweet to do it like never before via the magic of animation, creating a 'Charlie vs. The Chocolate Factory' that's more deliciously unhinged than your wildest imagination. If we do a rotten job, you can throw us down a rubbish chute!"

Meanwhile, the synopsis reads as follows:

Having served his time, Wonka (Taika Waititi) returns to his factory determined to add a little sweetness to a bitter world. But one thing stands in his way: teenager Charlie Paley (Kit Connor) and his friends. Facing eviction, this next generation of "rotten" kids plot to break into the factory, nab a priceless Wonka Bar, and save their homes. But like many before them who enter the fantastical world of the factory, these kids are in for a bit more than they can chew...

Expect "Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory" to hit Netflix in 2027.