Timothée Chalamet will play the world’s most famous chocolatier in “Wonka,” a musical based on the early life of Willy Wonka. Though plot details have been kept under wraps, the Warner Bros. prequel film will explore the upbringing of the man who later created the famous house of confectionary treats. Reps for Chalamet confirm he will be singing and dancing in the movie. Roald Dahl’s popular children’s book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” follows a poor boy named Charlie Bucket, who wins a golden ticket to tour the world-famous and heavily guarded chocolate factory run by one Willy Wonka. Since the upcoming movie takes place before the chocolate factory opened, Charlie and company won’t be making an appearance in “Wonka.” Gene Wilder memorably portrayed the candy man in the 1971 movie adaptation titled “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” and Johnny Depp later embodied the role in 2005 reboot “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” directed by Tim Burton. Burton’s retelling briefly explored Willy Wonka’s backstory, including his candy-hating, dentist father, as well as meeting the Oompa Loompa’s that keep his factory running. Paul King, known for “Paddington” and its sequel, is directing “Wonka.” David Heyman, a driving force behind the “Harry Potter” franchise and the beloved “Paddington” movies, will produce the film, based on a script by Simon Rich. Production is expected to begin in September, with the movie scheduled to debut theatrically on March 17, 2023. Chalamet has several movies coming out this year, including Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” adaptation, the Wes Anderson comedic drama “The French Dispatch” and Adam McKay’s star-studded disaster movie “Don’t Look Up.” He’s also set to portray Bob Dylan in the Searchlight biopic “Going Electric.” (SD-Agencies) | 