Oscar-winner Taika Waititi is voicing legendary confectioner Wonka in the animated feature Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory coming to Netflix in 2027, with Emmy-winner Kit Connor voicing Charlie Paley, a brand-new character stepping into the spotlight.
Connor says, “I’m so excited to enter the wonderful world of Wonka. I was immediately caught by the early concept art and the directors’ vision for the film — capturing the spirit and heart that made the original story so special, whilst imbuing it with something so fresh and unique. It’s such a fun representation of the London that I know. This new adventure is going to surprise audiences around the world. You’re in for a treat!”
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…
Directed by Jared Stern (The LEGO Batman Movie, Green Eggs and Ham) and Elaine Bogan (Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia, Spirit Untamed), the film promises an imaginative new take on the beloved universe, powered by the animation artistry of Sony Pictures Imageworks, the studio behind Oscar-winners Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and KPop Demon Hunters.” Academy-Award winner Aron Warner (Shrek) and Timothy Yoo (Back to the Outback, Green Eggs and Ham) are producing, and Waititi is an executive producer.
”Our directors, Jared and Elaine, have a bold vision befitting this new adventure whilst remaining sympathetic to the legacy, and I’m thrilled to play my part in bringing Willy Wonka to life in animated form,” Waititi says. “He is so special to me, and the opportunity to voice such an iconic, eccentric candy genius — if a little mischievous at times — is hugely exciting.”
Expect original songs, new characters, and even a few familiar faces, all wrapped in the signature British charm of Roald Dahl’s iconic world. “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,” Stern and Bogan say. “And how sweet to do it like never before via the magic of animation, creating a Charlie vs. The Chocolate Factorythat’s more deliciously unhinged than your wildest imagination. If we do a rotten job, you can throw us down a rubbish chute!”
