Rumour of the day – and one best taken for the minute with a requisite pinch of salt – surrounds Warner Bros’ reboot of sorts of Willy Wonka. The studio is working on a prequel, set before – but inspired by – Roald Dahl’s Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. Most recently, it’s been adapted into a West End musical, and back in 2005, Johnny Depp played Wonka in Tim Burton’s relatively direct – but not very good – adaptation of the book. The less direct adaptation, Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory with Gene Wilder, is by far the most loved.
The new take on the material has been hunting, apparently, for someone to play Wonka who’s in the 29 to 35 age bracket. However, it looks as though 36-year old Ryan Gosling has emerged as a top candidate, with the actor reportedly expressing an interest in taking on the role.
That’s according to The Hashtag Show, although no further details have thus far been announced. We know that Simon Rich is penning the script for this one, and that Harry Potter producer David Heyman is overseeing it. Beyond that, it’s still early days for the project.
We’ll keep you posted…