# Johnny Depp and Willy Wonka. Yeesh! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 5, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013 "2005-06-05T16:41:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aankh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@Aankh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aankh)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/1 "2005-06-05T16:41:10Z")
I just saw the trailer for this movie today, and I have to say I’m absolutely baffled by Depp’s apparent portrayal of Wonka. Willy Wonka is supposed to be a quirky genius with an evil sense of humour. So why o _why_ is Depp acting like a brainless, effeminate ponce?! Am I the only one who felt this way after seeing the trailer? (Gene Wilder…RAH RAH RAH!) ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/2 "2005-06-05T16:43:43Z")
I’m reserving judgment until I see the movie. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/3 "2005-06-05T17:25:10Z")
I’m slightly disturbed by what I’m seeing in the trailers, but I’m also aware that some ads can misrepresent a movie. Thus, I’m waiting for the movie to come out. ---
**Author:** ![pasunejen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58956e/32.png) [@pasunejen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pasunejen)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/4 "2005-06-05T17:39:26Z")
I’m kind of bothered by the impression of Wonka I’m getting from the trailer as well–but as others say, I’m withholding judgment. It would be a real shame if the movie were awesome except for Depp’s performance, because if that sucks the entire thing is worthless anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/5 "2005-06-05T18:50:05Z")
The critics are saying this version of Willy Wonka is much darker than Gene Wilder’s candy-coated version. (bad pun intended!) I’m a fan of Johnny Depp. This trailer, however, leaves much to be desired. I’m looking forward to seeing the film just to see how Depp pulls this one off. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/6 "2005-06-05T18:55:04Z")
Depp has never let me down in anything he’s done, but the trailers have left me wondering if I shall be pining for Gene Hackman. Those are also some pretty big shoes to fill. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/7 "2005-06-05T19:12:30Z")
> [@](#): > > The critics are saying this version of Willy Wonka is much darker than Gene Wilder’s candy-coated version. (bad pun intended!) I don’t think Wilder’s version was candy-coated at all. Or, if the coating was candy, the filling was creepy, dark, and bitter. ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/8 "2005-06-05T19:18:10Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > Depp has never let me down in anything he’s done, but the trailers have left me wondering if I shall be pining for Gene Hackman. It’s _Charlie and the French Chocolate Connection_! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/9 "2005-06-05T19:26:25Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > I shall be pining for Gene Hackman. Bwahhh! ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/10 "2005-06-05T19:34:31Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > I shall be pining for Gene Hackman. Or pinin’ for the Harrison Fjords. ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/11 "2005-06-05T20:44:36Z")
I wanted to see this movie. Then I saw the trailer. It looks bad–very, very bad. Most trailers make movies look way better than they really are–unless they’ve done a really good job of making the trailer worse than the movie, this is going to be just awful. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/12 "2005-06-05T21:25:08Z")
Gah…the only Gene’s I know are Hackman and Wilder. ( and Mr. Krabbs.) Pretty funny mixup. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/13 "2005-06-05T21:41:56Z")
Gene Rayburn, Gene Roddenberrry, and, um…Yeah, there aren’t a whole lot of Genes out there. I’m willing to give the movie a chance. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/14 "2005-06-05T21:47:39Z")
> [@Uvula Donor](#): > > It’s _Charlie and the French Chocolate Connection_! > > 😃 No, no. It’s titled “The French Confection.” ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/15 "2005-06-05T22:06:08Z")
> [@Gadarene](#): > > I don’t think Wilder’s version was candy-coated at all. Or, if the coating was candy, the filling was creepy, dark, and bitter. I agree 100%.And now we have Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka and Tim Burton directing. I fail to see a problem here. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/16 "2005-06-05T22:21:15Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > Gene Rayburn, Gene Roddenberrry, and, um…Yeah, there aren’t a whole lot of Genes out there. > > I’m willing to give the movie a chance. Gene Gene the dancing machine? ---
**Author:** ![Myrnalene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@Myrnalene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrnalene)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/17 "2005-06-05T22:48:25Z")
> [@Ruby](#): > > The critics are saying this version of Willy Wonka is much darker than Gene Wilder’s candy-coated version. (bad pun intended!) Are they?? Do you happen to know which critics? Because the only thing I had heard on this subject was a bit on the Internet Movie Database where the screenwriter described his work as _less dark_ than the original, which seemed very worrisome to me. The trailer (which looks like ass) seems to bear that out - goofy, not creepy. Wilder’s Wonka was an evil genius. Depp’s Wonka looks like a twit. > [@want2know](#): > > And now we have Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka and Tim Burton directing. I know, but I don’t think we’re getting **Edward Scissorhands** or **Ed Wood** here. I think this is going to be a misfire. ---
**Author:** ![Myrnalene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@Myrnalene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrnalene)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/18 "2005-06-05T22:49:27Z")
At that, at long last, is my 500th post. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/19 "2005-06-05T23:20:16Z")
I’m there. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013/20 "2005-06-06T00:33:16Z")
Avoid comparing it with the other movie, I am expecting it to be a closer match to the book. There is almost no other Director I’d trust to do a Roald Dahl story justice. And if anyone can do a multilayered character it’s Johnny Depp. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-depp-and-willy-wonka-yeesh/307013.md?page=2)