Wonka, released in the final few weeks of 2023, was an immediate, if slightly unexpected, success. It quickly swept through the country, with the soundtrack filling Spotify playlists, and moviegoers going to attend theaters in waves. This triumph was a bit of a surprise, for a few reasons. First of all, movie musicals tend to underperform at the box office. Also, many people may have brushed off Wonka as a childish kids’ film, based on the humor in the trailer. But despite these aspects of the movie, Wonka performed amazingly well.
Wonka was #1 at the box office for multiple weeks and has become the highest-grossing Willy Wonka movie. At that time (before the release of Dune 2) Wonka was the highest-performing film that Timothee Chalamet had a lead role in. It earned $218 million domestically, and $632 million worldwide. During the release, Wonka was placed against other end-of-year films such as Anyone But You, The Boys in the Boat, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and Migration. Anyone But You received $88 million in domestic gross earnings, and The Boys in the Boat earned $52 million. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has $124 million, and Migration earned $127 million. While many of these profits are very respectable, none even come close to Wonka’s $218 million. Wonka not only earned large profit but also received high numbers critically, with an 82% critic score and 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
So why did Wonka work so well as a film? There are multiple factors, but the main, overarching reason is that it was simply a good movie that focused on the storytelling, characters, and quality over anything else.
The plot of Wonka follows a young Willy Wonka, who wants to open a chocolate shop and sell his unique, magical candy. But Willy faces challenges with his dream as he gets accidentally roped into a shady contract and has to face off against the “chocolate syndicate” that stifles any chocolate-selling competition. Willy and his friends—Noodle and others trapped in the same contract—push forward toward freedom and creativity despite adversity. This lighthearted plotline, matched with a playful and sincere tone, gives Wonka a wide appeal. The film fits perfectly for the innocence of young children and charms adults too. The more mature audience wasn’t lost as they enjoyed the balance of sweet nostalgia and grounded themes.
Wonka also had a distinguished cast, with Timothee Chalamet as the lead, and other significant names such as Hugh Grant, Rowan Atkinson, Jim Carter, Olivia Colman, and Sally Hawkins, among others. The casting worked effectively, as the entirety of the movie was well-acted and sung. Chalamet’s performance was energetic, dynamic, and heartfelt, and the rest of the cast did well in each role.
Along with the strong acting, the vocal performances excelled, making the soundtrack a key selling point of the movie. Chalamet’s Broadway experience likely aided his performance in this role, as the film’s soundtrack was one of the largest things that helped it become set apart from the rest. The soundtrack as a whole was strong, but “For a Moment”, “A Hatful of Dreams”, and a “World of Your Own” were standouts.
Wonka was also simply really well made. It was beautifully lit, colored, shot, and had realistic effects. Each scene of the movie was vibrant and unique, and the vivid color palette added to the magical feel thread throughout the film.
Overall, Wonka proved that a film can be joyful, playful, simple, and sweet, and still receive extremely high ratings at the box office. Movies can be used only for entertainment, and nothing more, and still garner success.
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