# Re Tim Burton's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" remake with Depp as Wonka - Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 21, 2003, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681 "2003-08-21T14:43:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/21 "2003-08-21T19:22:57Z")
Useless fact about the original _Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory_: It was comissioned by the Quaker Oats Company to promote a new Wonka chocolate bar. Even though the bar never got made, the movie did. Quaker later sold the rights of the film to Warner Bros. as they had no use for it. ---
**Author:** ![BlueMit11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@BlueMit11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueMit11)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/22 "2003-08-21T19:34:16Z")
When I first heard about this movie (I was reading about the production company that Brad Pitt and Jenniffer Aniston are forming and apparently this is to be its product) I cringed-but then I thought about how Depp can just about do anything he damn well pleases when it comes to roles. If he’s lined up with the right cast, it’ll be good I think. That and the Tim Burton thing that’s been addressed. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/23 "2003-08-21T19:39:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Useless fact about the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory: It was comissioned by the Quaker Oats Company to promote a new Wonka chocolate bar. Even though the bar never got made, the movie did. Quaker later sold the rights of the film to Warner Bros. as they had no use for it. Although I do remember seeing some Cap’n Crunch commercials where he was plugging the movie along with his cereal. As for the chocolate bar, a line of Wonka candy did eventually come out, but I believe it was after the movie had ended its theatrical run. You can still find Wonka candy (e.g., Nerds and Laffy Taffy) on the shelf today in the U.S. As for the OP, like any remake of a movie that was a big part of my childhood, I’ve got mixed feelings about it. I generally like Burton’s movies (_Mars Attacks_ excepted) but I wish he would stick with more original fare and Depp is a sufficiently off-beat actor to play Wonka (although my choice wouldve been Bill Murray just because I’d like to see his take on the role). However, what I’m really curious about is who’ll they’ll get to write the script. BTW, I hope they get Gene Wilder to play Charlie’s grandfather and John Cleese to play Veruca’s father. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/24 "2003-08-21T19:44:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NDP \* > **As for the chocolate bar, a line of Wonka candy did eventually come out, but I believe it was after the movie had ended its theatrical run. You can still find Wonka candy (e.g., Nerds and Laffy Taffy) on the shelf today in the U.S.** These are manufactured by Nestlé, long after Quaker abandoned the rights to the film. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/25 "2003-08-21T20:05:12Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by astro_ > **Why?** Because it stands a reasonable chance of making a profit. That’s all you need to know, really. All other considerations are decidedly secondary. We can hope it’s good, and that it stands as an interesting and valuable cinematic contrast to the previous film, but that’s not why it’s being made. Not from the corporate standpoint, anyway. And whatever motivations Burton may have as a filmmaker, he’s smart enough to submerge them in favor of the corporate agenda, in order to preserve his ability to continue working. Witness _Planet of the Apes._ As somebody once said, Follow the money. ---
**Author:** ![KarmaComa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e36b37/32.png) [@KarmaComa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarmaComa)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/26 "2003-08-21T20:13:22Z")
The original movie was released in 1971, and Wilder was born in 1935, so he was about 35! ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/27 "2003-08-21T20:13:38Z")
I saw Christopher Walken live on Broadway in a delightful musical adaptation of Joyce’s THE DEAD. Here’s a [review](http://www.themodernword.com/joyce/review_the_dead.html) of the off-Broadway production that moved for a short-lived run on Broadway in 2000. Well, it was indeed delightful except for his singing. You do not want this guy to star in a musical. Trust me. His wistful song about “snow falling generally all over Ireland” became a dirge. Next to Brown and Nixon and Spinella\*, it was painfully apparent his singing voice wasn’t up to it. Not that he was absolutely horrible or off-key, just very inadequate. - Hey, I just saw Stephen Spinella again on Sunday, playing a major role brilliantly in TRAVESTIES by Tom Stoppard up at the Williamstown Theater Festival. His role? [James Joyce.](http://www.curtainup.com/travestiesberk.html) The other guy in the picture, David Garrison, also has the mischeviousness, wit, warmth, and singing voice to carry off Wonka, but he like Spinella is not enough of a “name” to be thought of. A pity. Broadway is full of guys who would make wonderful Wonkas. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/28 "2003-08-21T20:27:35Z")
I’d like to to see the original actors who played the kids in the flick, at least in bit parts. IIRC, the kid who played Charlie quit the biz after this one role and became a vet. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/29 "2003-08-21T20:33:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\*I don’t get why remaking old movies bothers people so much. There are two possible out comes to this movie: it’ll be worse than the original, or it’ll be better. If it’s better, then Yay! there’s a great new movie in the world for everyone to enjoy. And if it’s worse, then so what? It’s not like they’re going to burn all the copies of the original once the new one is finished. \*\* I know, I almost opened a pit thread about these people. “I don’t want to see this movie, so I wish it doesn’t get made! If I don’t want to see it, then nobody should be able to see it!” ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/30 "2003-08-21T22:33:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NYR407 \* > **As much as I hate the fact that they are going to remake a classic I am glad that it is not with Marilyn Manson as Wonka. I heard that rumor a few years ago and was absolutley appauled.** Manson would be **great** in the role! Did you see Andy Dick on his MTV Andy Dick Show do Marylin Manson in “Marylin Poppins,”? The skit premise is that Manson is going to play a broadway remake of Mary Poppins. Andy had Manson dressed in gothic Victorian punk complete with tattered umbrella and black stove pipe top hat. He looked like the children snatcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and when he first appears ‘onstage’ he says, “I smell children.” Hilarious. Now, that’s a dark Wonka. Peace. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/31 "2003-08-21T23:12:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\*I don’t get why remaking old movies bothers people so much. There are two possible out comes to this movie: it’ll be worse than the original, or it’ll be better. If it’s better, then Yay! there’s a great new movie in the world for everyone to enjoy. And if it’s worse, then so what? It’s not like they’re going to burn all the copies of the original once the new one is finished. \*\* Except, of course, in the case of “reimagining” (or whatever the hell Lucas calls it) where the _original_ copies _aren’t_ available. Additionally, folks who see a crappy remake of a great film, might not realize that the original film was fanatastic and won’t watch it. If you’re going to say that it’s okay for someone to do a crappy remake of a great film, then you might as well say that colorization of black and white movies is okay. Nevermind that the halfwits doing the colorization have no understanding of how the director may have been using the _absence_ of color in his film. And they might just get some things _flat out wrong._ (As Turner did when they gave Frank Sinatra brown eyes.) Frankly, I’m not optimistic of Burton’s chances of getting this right. It wouldn’t make a rat’s ass _who_ he has in the cast, if he’s determined to screw the pooch, he’ll bang it six ways from Sunday. Remember, _Planet of the Apes_ had Helena Bonham Carter in it, and it blew dinos. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/32 "2003-08-22T00:00:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > \*\*Remember, _Planet of the Apes_ had Helena Bonham Carter in it \*\* AKA Mrs. Tim Burton (or at least aka Tim Burton’s baby’s mama). They recently wrapped on a movie filmed in Montgomery, AL, where I spend a lot of time and I couldn’t believe how tiny she is in real life. (I also couldn’t believe going into my favorite restaurant, which is far from chic, and seeing the Burtons, Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Robert Guillaume, and a smattering of their women taking up a long table in the corner.) David Garrison was also great in TITANIC. I think leaving Married With Children helped both his career and the show, though I’ll always remember him best for IT’S YOUR MOVE (if only for “The Dregs of Humanity”). I honestly think that Depp could pull off a remake playing the Hepburn role in SUMMERTIME, but I just really don’t see the point in this one. Maybe it’ll finally at least answer why those old people won’t get up off their wrinkled bums and help out rather than letting Charlie’s mom get callouses on her knees from all that work, though. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/33 "2003-08-22T01:37:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > Except, of course, in the case of “reimagining” (or whatever the hell Lucas calls it) where the _original_ copies _aren’t_ available. That’s hardly the same thing. > [@](#): > > Additionally, folks who see a crappy remake of a great film, might not realize that the original film was fanatastic and won’t watch it. How many of these folks would ever have seen the original film at all? And how many people who saw (and even disliked) the remake have sought out the original to see why someone thought it was worth remaking? > [@](#): > > If you’re going to say that it’s okay for someone to do a crappy remake of a great film, then you might as well say that colorization of black and white movies is okay. Nevermind that the halfwits doing the colorization have no understanding of how the director may have been using the _absence_ of color in his film. Colorization? Sure, why not? My TV has tint control: I can watch any movie I want in black and white. But, again, this has nothing to do with re-making a movie. > [@](#): > > And they might just get some things _flat out wrong._ (As Turner did when they gave Frank Sinatra brown eyes.) I submit that, on the scale of cinematic catastrophes, mis-coloring Frank Sinatra’s eyes pales in comparison to casting Frank Sinatra in a movie in the first place. > [@](#): > > Frankly, I’m not optimistic of Burton’s chances of getting this right. It wouldn’t make a rat’s ass _who_ he has in the cast, if he’s determined to screw the pooch, he’ll bang it six ways from Sunday. Remember, _Planet of the Apes_ had Helena Bonham Carter in it, and it blew dinos. Neither am I. Burton’s been sadly off his game for a while now. But if he remakes _Charlie etc._, and it sucks horribly, you know what? No one’s even going to remember it in five years. When I say _Psycho_, who do you think of? Alfred Hitchcock or Gus van Sant? ---
**Author:** ![Baggins111](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@Baggins111](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baggins111)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/34 "2003-08-22T02:01:25Z")
OK, actually, I don’t like re-makes of already good movies. Wilder and the original cast were GREAT in the original. At first blush, I didn’t think that Depp would be good in the role of Willie Wonka. But after seeing the way he got into Jack Sparrow in POTC, I would say that he would be good. He would get it to j…u…s…t… about that over the top thing like Wilder did and then make it _kind of_ endearing to us. More so to the younger folk. Comments: Gene Wilder MUST make a cameo in the movie. If Christopher Walken is in it, he MUST play the bad guy that’s tells the kids that he will pay them for Wonka’s recipe. The boat scene had better be just as damn scary, but not tooooo scary. Veruca Salt --\> BAND NAME!!! Oh, wait… ---
**Author:** ![Baggins111](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@Baggins111](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baggins111)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/35 "2003-08-22T02:03:18Z")
Oh, and the MOST obvious conclusion that I came to: Burton + Depp = Elfman doing the score. Tell me I’m wrong, go ahead, tell me. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/36 "2003-08-22T02:10:06Z")
Gene Wilder should be Grandpa. I’m sure Verne Troyer has already been hired for an Oompah slot (unless they’re going with CGI). ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/37 "2003-08-22T02:11:16Z")
Hijack, but I would love to see Gene Wilder on B’way play Max Bialystok in THE PRODUCERS. Pay him whatever he asks for and I guarantee they’d make it back. ---
**Author:** ![Dragonblink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Dragonblink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragonblink)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/38 "2003-08-22T02:17:50Z")
Christopher Walken as Wonka? :eek: :eek: :eek: Y’all’re gonna give me nightmares! ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/39 "2003-08-22T03:08:14Z")
pleasebewalken pleasebewalken pleasebewalken “If the good LORD- hadintendedusto WA-ALK, he wouldn’t have. Invented RollerSKATES.” ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681/40 "2003-08-22T03:11:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Baggins111 \* > \*\*Burton + Depp = Elfman doing the score. > > Tell me I’m wrong, go ahead, tell me. \*\* Well, duh. I can only think of one Burton film (_Ed Wood_) that Elfman didn’t score. Still, it might be fun if it’s a musical again. I’ve been disappointed by Elfman’s last few Burton movie scores… I’d love to hear the old magic again. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-tim-burtons-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-remake-with-depp-as-wonka-why/196681.md?page=3)