Prequels to classics films are no strangers to Hollywood; but there’s been a sudden spike in popularity amongst the iconic characters and their origins; yet most people never really wondered about them until now.

The latest upcoming film from Warner Bros brings us back the eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka before his success in the world-famous chocolate factory and the strange adventures with his underage guests, as first seen in Roald Dahl’s children novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, published in 1964.

Wonka was first portrayed on the big screen by Gene Wilder in 1971’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, in what is deemed as the most authentic portrayal of Dahl’s beloved candy-maker in comparison to Johnny Depp’s role nearly thirty years later in 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. His performance is still kept under the shadow of Wilder’s role. Can Timothée Chalamet embark on this challenge and master this iconic role?

Wonka began its photography in September 2021 and is scheduled to release in theaters beginning March 17, 2023. The film will reportedly make its debut exclusively on the big screen as opposed to releasing it on theaters while simultaneously streaming it on HBO Max in response to the COVID-19 ongoing pandemic. However, SlashFilm reports that Warner Bros’ has decided not to implement this policy going forward.