Origin stories are always a slam dunk with audiences. Seriously, go through IMDb and just try to find one example of a prequel detailing how a famous movie character came to be that isn’t considered an instant classic. Don’t bother trying. You can’t do it! That’s why it’s great news that Warner Bros.’ upcoming Willy Wonka film is probably going to provide the much-needed backstory of Roald Dahl’s beloved candy magnate.
In an interview with /Film, producer David Heyman revealed the slimmest slivers of info on the the inchoate film. “It’s not a remake. They’ve done two films, quite different,” he explained, referring to Mel Stuart’s 1971 classic and Tim Burton quixotic 2015 attempt at a reboot. “But it’s possibly an origin story. We’re just in the early stages of it, working with a writer called Simon Rich, which is wonderful.”
You might recognize Simon Rich’s the creator of FXX’s surrealist rom-com series Man Seeking Woman. Or maybe you’ve just seen his “Married Kama Sutra” from The New Yorker. Regardless, his association with the Willy Wonka secret origins project is a positive sign. And Heyman considers himself “a huge Roald Dahl fan.” So, who knows. Maybe something special will happen. Though, the question of why they don’t just make a film adaptation of Charlie And The Great Glass Elevator—Dahl’s book sequel that’s brimming with crazy ideas and arguably better than the original—remains frustratingly unanswered.