Wonka 2023 vs Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory 1971

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is a 1971 American musical fantasy film starring Gene Wilder as chocolatier Willy Wonka. The film tells the story of a poor child named Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum) who, upon finding a Golden Ticket in a chocolate bar, wins the chance to visit Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory with four other children from around the world. Wonka is a 2023 musical fantasy comedy film directed by Paul King, who co-wrote the screenplay with Simon Farnaby based on a story by King. It tells the origin story of Willy Wonka, a central character in the 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, depicting his early days as a chocolatier.
Wonka focuses on a young Willy Wonka who is starting his own company. Wonka heavily references the 1971 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, taking a few songs, Wonka’s outfit and the Oompa Loompa designs from that movie. Wonka differs in the background story; in 2023, Wonka was raised on a boat by his mother, who was passionate about making chocolate. While in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the protagonist is raised by a dentist who barred him from eating chocolate, Wonka 2023 is more of a story about nogalstia and grieve as he continues with his dead mother’s passion for chocolate. The 1971 film focuses more on rebellion, freedom, and living your dream.
Timothée Chalamet maintained the eccentric trademark of Willy Wonka that we see throughout all three films, but it’s important to note that Chalamet’s portrayal is a positive one. Despite having multiple setbacks in the film, he remains his cheery and optimistic self. This left me wondering: What happened between this film and the contrasting Gene Wilder one that made Mr. Wonka so cynical and less trusting of people?
We learn that the golden tickets in the 1971 and 2005 movies are inspired by Wonka’s bar of chocolate, which he held onto from his late mother, and the sweet meaning behind it.
The 2023 film most effectively addresses the issue, giving the mischievous character a solidified backstory. We see how these characters emerge in Wonka’s younger life and remain by his side. The 2023 film also makes the multiple Oompa Loompas into a single character, which makes the character more effective in the story. The 2023 Wonka is much more of a musical than the 1971 version