MOVIE NEWS – The Wonka sequel has been delayed indefinitely, with co-writer Simon Farnaby pointing to Timothée Chalamet’s packed schedule as the main obstacle. The actor wants to return as Willy Wonka but has yet to decide when the project could fit or which role he wants to pursue next.

Chalamet has dominated the late-year box office for three consecutive seasons. After Wonka in 2023 came A Complete Unknown in 2024 and Marty Supreme in 2025, with Dune: Part Three expected to continue the run at the end of 2026. The surprising success of the Roald Dahl prequel made another Wonka adventure seem almost inevitable.

The script was moving forward, but its star’s calendar filled up

Farnaby told Variety that the follow-up is now on hold with no new timetable. He summarized Chalamet’s position this way: “He wants to do one, but he’s not sure about timing or what he wants to do next.”

Directed by Paul King, the first film opened on December 15, 2023. It overcame early skepticism to reach an 82% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie earned $218 million domestically and $634 million worldwide, becoming 2023’s eighth-biggest global release and surpassing John Wick: Chapter 4, The Little Mermaid and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning.

Chalamet has already completed Dune: Part Three and Illumination’s animated Not Alone. He will reunite with A Complete Unknown director James Mangold for the motocross heist picture High-Side, reportedly earning $25 million, and is attached to produce and potentially star in an adaptation of Playground. His growing tendency to choose awards-oriented material may also be drawing him away from the candy maker.

The delay could ultimately help the story

A second question is where a sequel to a prequel should go, especially when many viewers might expect the next step to approach Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. King said in 2024 that he and Farnaby were roughly halfway through a draft and already understood the direction they wanted to take.

A long gap might eventually benefit the project. By the time production restarts, Chalamet could portray an older Wonka who more closely resembles the mysterious figure readers know from Roald Dahl’s original book.

Source: MovieWeb