Wonka first trailer: Timothee Chalamet boldly takes on ‘Chocolate Cartel’ to live out dream

The highly-anticipated trailer for Wonka dropped on Tuesday as it showed Timothee Chalamet for the first time in his role as the iconic chocolatier which serves as the prequel to the 1971 classic Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory.

The 27-year-old actor – who is quietly romancing Kylie Jenner – portrays the titular character in the two-and-a-half minute clip as he does all he can to live out his dream of becoming a chocolatier which even means taking on the ‘chocolate cartel.’

The film also includes an all-star cast lineup of Rowan Atkinson, Olivia Colman, Keegan-Michael Key, Calah Lane, Hugh Grant, and Sally Hawkins.

The most humorous part of the clip came at the very end when Wonka gets his first meeting with an  Oompa-Loompa who happened to be played by 62-year-old Grant.

 Wonka seemingly caught the orange-skinned, green-haired creature and placed it in a jar as he tells it: ‘So you’re the funny little man who has been following me.’

The Oopma-Loompa hilariously responds: ‘I will have you know that I am a perfectly respectable size for an Oopma-Loompa.’

Wonka is confused as the Oopma-Loompa refreshes his memory by playing the iconic flute tone later known as the Wonka Whistle and then begins dancing.

The trailer began with Wonka declaring: ‘I have spent the past seven years traveling the world perfecting my craft. You see I’m something of a magician, inventor, and chocolate maker. So quiet up and listen down, nope scratch that, reverse it.’

Oscar-winner Olivia Colman’s role is not known yet but her character seemingly believes in the aspiring chocolatier as she tells him: ‘Mr. Wonka I can see you’re a man of great ingenuity.’

It is then that the audience is introduced to Wonka’s sidekick portrayed by Calah Lane who asks what he is doing.

Wonka enthusiastically replies: ‘I’m making chocolate of course. How do you like it? Dark, white, nutty, absolutely insane?’

Then the conflict of the film is revealed as a man tells Wonka: ‘Many people have come here to sell chocolate. They’ve all been crushed by the Chocolate Cartel. You can’t get a shop without selling chocolate and you can’t sell chocolate without a shop.’

It is obvious that Wonka lives in a world lacking pure imagination as a police officer tells him that daydreaming is not allowed in the public streets.

When home and accompanied by Lane’s character inspiration strikes Wonka as a lightbulb lights up over his head as the two begin their journey of making chocolate and taking on the Chocolate Cartel.

Many scenes are shown including Wonka’s chocolate making the bosses of the Chocolate Cartel float as he is tasked with changing the lives of those around him including Lane’s character.

He is told: ‘Every good thing in this world started with a dream so hold onto yours.’

Wonka’s mother – played by Sally Hawkins –  is shown in a crowd blowing a kiss toward him as he whispers to himself: ‘Here we go, mama.’

Many joyous scenes are then shown with Wonka boldly declaring: ‘Mark my words. This is going to be the greatest chocolate shop the world has ever seen.’

The film is being directed by Paul King who also helped pen the script as he is best known for helming 2014’s Paddington and the 2017 sequel.

The musical score is being composed by British composer Joby Talbot – who is best known for his work in 2005’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy and 2011’s Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland – with the lead singer of the band The Divine Comedy, Neil Hannon, set to contribute original songs for the film.

The musical will focus on a young Willy Wonka’s adventures before he became a chocolatier as he meets the Oompa-Loompas.

Timothée is the third actor to portray Willy Wonka on screen following Gene Wilder in the 1971 film and Johnny Depp in 2005.

All three films were adapted from the classic 1964 children’s book Charlie And The Charlie Factory written by Roald Dahl.

The highly-anticipated project was filmed from late 2021 to the Spring months of 2022.

In November 2021 filming was temporarily suspended after a Covid scare.

According to The Sun, filming stopped for five days while the cast, including lead actor Timothée, were forced to self-isolate.

A source said at the time: ‘Despite the strict Covid protocols everyone had been abiding with, as soon as there was a positive test on Thursday the whole production shut down immediately as bosses didn’t want to take any chances.

‘There’s a huge amount of money tied up in filming so any delays can become incredibly costly. On-site medical staff are monitoring the situation and won’t make anyone come back until it’s safe.

‘Most people involved are double vaccinated anyway, but it shows that Covid can still find a way.’

Leading man Timothée teased the release of the trailer 10 minutes before its release as he took to Twitter to post: ‘We ready ??’

Wonka is set to hit theaters later this year on Friday, December 15.