It’s not a movie. Definitely not a musical.
Netflix is dropping a new Willy Wonka series. Wonka’s Golden Ticket is a competition reality show. It borrows from Roald Dahl’s 1964 book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. You know the plot. Charlie Bucket, his grandpa, plus eleven others. They all get into the factory.
Listen to the trailer closely.
You will hear a ghost. Or a digital approximation of one. Netflix used AI to resurrect the voice of Gene Wilder. He played the mysterious confectioner in the 1976 film. That performance. Iconic. Unforgettable. The tech behind it comes from ElevenLabs. They did this with permission. The Wilder estate gave the thumbs up.
Karen B. Wilder spoke for her late husband’s legacy.
“More than five decades after Gene brought Wonka to life, the connection endures. We are delighted this project introduces that magic to new fans.”
She said he brought heart and wonder. Decades later, people still laugh. Or at least, they try to.
Here is the setup.
Twelve winners. Twelve partners. They tackle challenges inside elaborate sets. It is inspired by Dahl’s work, mostly. Only one person takes home the prize. Netflix calls it “life-changing.” A nice word for “big money,” presumably.
Rusty Goffe returns too.
He played an Oompa Loompapa in the original. He brings the orange skin back. The green hair. He premieres alongside the show on Sept. 23.
AI voices are trending now. Using Gene Wilder feels bold. Maybe reckless? Who knows.
The date is set. The technology is ready. The factory awaits.
Will the chocolate taste the same?
We’ll have to wait and see.
