Charlie And The Chocolate Factory is a story of capitalism, murder, deceit, exploitation of the Global South, and espionage that still resonates today, from stage musicals and reality shows to AI-hallucinated “experiences.” This morning, Netflix unveiled its latest new take on the classic Roald Dahl novel, Charlie Vs. The Chocolate Factory. From the first look image, the film, which stars Taika Waititi and Kit Connor, looks like it takes place in a very contemporary London, full of glass skyscrapers presumably full of young investment bankers being kind of evil.
An official plot synopsis reads:
Willy Wonka (Waititi) has spent the years since the Golden Ticket contest behind bars (not the chocolate kind) for the crime of turning a child into a blueberry. Having served his time, Wonka returns to his factory determined to add a little sweetness to a bitter world. But one thing stands in his way: teenager Charlie Paley (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…
Charlie Vs. The Chocolate Factory first look via Netflix
This take on Wonka comes from Sony Pictures Imageworks, which has seen a good deal of success over the past few years with Kpop Demon Hunters and the Spider-Verse movies, both of which have effectively combined modern urban settings with whimsical action sequences. Charlie Vs. The Chocolate Factory certainly seems to be of that kind, at least from this single image. The movie hits Netflix sometime in 2027.
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