Looks cool. 
But…
For the love of God, please dont let it be a musical. 
If they base it on the book, there’ll have to be music. The Oompa-Loompas sing a little song after every brat gets his/her comeuppance. It’s been a while since I’ve read the book, but IIRC, the lyrics in the first movie were almost exactly word-for-word what Dahl originally wrote in the book.
OTOH, I think we can all do without “Candyman” and “Cheer Up, Charlie.”
They made me sing “Candyman” in 7th grade choir. I hate “Candyman”. “Candyman” sucks. I don’t even like when Sammy Davis Jr. sings “Candyman”.
Hang on, I think I hear glass breaking…
Hey, I like “Candyman.” I agree that no one should ever be forced to sit through “Cheer Up Charlie” ever again in the history of the world, though. I mean, I’m unabashedly fond of stuff people assure me is utter crap, and even I think that’s one of the worst songs ever inflicted on humanity.
Personally, the only drawback I see to the movie is that the odds of Johnny losing his pants appear distressingly low.
I wonder how they’ll deal with the non-oompa-loompa verse narrative bits. They really made the book for me. I don’t remember much of the prose, but all the little verse bits lodge in your brain forever
I would love to hear Johnny Depp recite those!
Speaking of which, is his little “chewing gum” rhyme from the book?
There’s going to be music. There’s an ommpa-loompa band in one scene(I have a bad feeling about that, but I can handle it).
I wish people would stop ranting about how this is a “remake”. It’s not a remake any more than a film version of Romeo and Juliet is a remake of a specific previously existing film version of Romeo and Juliet.
The book is a truly wonderful thing, and the Gene Wilder movie is a perfectly fine (adored by many) version of it. But there’s no reason that other versions of it can’t be made.
Was Peter Jacksons Lord of the Rings a remake of the previous animated version?
With all due deference to the other opinions regarding who (whom?) Johnny Depp most resembles in the trailer, I vote for Geena Davis.
Holy crap! Great news on the music front!
Via Ain’t It Cool News:
Double woot! 1) I can finally upgrade my VHS copy of The Forbidden Zone – and there’s extras and everything. 2) Danny Elfman is doing the voices of the Oompa Loompas. Oh my god. Anyone who remembers his vocals in the Mystic Knights days just wet their pants. They’re gonna be creepy, not saccharine. Joy.
Geena Davis? Maybe…
I don’t know if this has already been mentioned, but a famous director (can’t remember who–man, my memory is going tonight) once said that a good remake is a remake of a mediocre film–that way, people have much less higher expectations going in.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was a great (if disturbing, IMHO) film to begin with, so unless Burton has some really innovative stuff up his sleeve, this might not work. (Mind you, I can’t wait to see it either. ;))
What do you all think?
I think the decision not to remake the 1971 film, and instead return to the text of the book, is enough to make the Tim Burton effort a vast improvement of the Gene Wilder thing. (Which I nevertheless enjoyed as a head film.)
The 1971 version, while it has its own merits, is actually a pretty poor adaptation of the book. I expect the new one to be much better.
As I understand it, it’s almost entirely faithful – there are only two points that are out of line with the book.
One, we will have a little bit of backstory on Willy Wonka, and how he came to be a Candy Mogul.
The second change should probably be spoilered:[spoiler]At the end of the movie, Wonka reveals an extra motivation for entrusting the factory to Charlie.
That bit has me a little uneasy.[/spoiler]
Anyway, I think the success of this movie will depend on going easy on the innovations and just concentrating on the art.
I heard there was a sequel to the book. Was it any good, or is there a reason that nobody ever talks about it?
Ah, yes, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator.
It’s okay, but IMHO not as good as Chocolate Factory. Basically it picks up the story just after they break through the roof of the factory at the end of the first book; they pick up Charlie’s family and have a few wacky adventures (including Fun With Vermicious Knids) before making it back.
I don’t know, it didn’t seem like it had as much heart as the first book. Charlie’s grandparents are really obnoxious in this one; I found myself wishing the Oompa Loompas would do something horrible to them. If you’re interested, pick up a copy at your library; it’s a quick read, and rather fun.