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Taika Waititi Goes Willy Wonka: Will Write, Direct & EP 2 Animated "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" Netflix Series

The world of Willy Wonka, Charlie, Oompa-Loompas, and everlasting gobstoppers are being placed in the imaginatively masterful hands Taika Waititi (JoJo Rabbit, Thor: Love and Thunder). The Academy Award-winner will write, direct, and executive produce a pair of animated series for Netflix based Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Taika Waititi Casts Kaimana in His Upcoming "Next Goal Wins" Adaptation
Editorial credit: Denis Makarenko / Shutterstock.com (Taika Waititi)

One series will be set directly within the world of the 1964 children's novel, while the other series will highlight the Oompa-Loompa world. Oompa-Loompas are small, human-like beings who were preyed upon in Loompaland before Wonka brought them to his factory. Paid in cocoa beans,  Oompa-Loompas are mischievous – loving practical jokes and singing songs.

Both series are looking to respect the spirit of Dahl's work, while also giving Waititi the opportunity to offer his unique vision to the familar characters and themes – with Netflix adding:

"The shows will retain the quintessential spirit and tone of the original story while building out the world and characters far beyond the pages of the Dahl book for the very first time."

Netflix plans on staying in the Dahl business beyond Willy Wonka, too: the streaming service has entered into an "extensive partnership" with The Roald Dahl Story Company, which means Dahl stories like Matilda, The BFG, The Twits, and others would be ripe for adaptations and reimaginings.

From the statement released by The Roald Dahl Story Company, it sounds like it's a match made in chocolate:

"In the words of Willy Wonka himself – we are 'Delighted! Charmed! Overjoyed!' with Taika's appointment on this project. There is something undeniably Wonka-esque about Taika's creative flair and inimitable sense of humor and we cannot think of anyone more perfectly suited to leading the creative charge on these first of their kind, feature quality Netflix shows."

– Gideon Simeloff, Commercial & Entertainment Director, Roald Dahl Story Company

Variety


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Ray FlookAbout Ray Flook

Serving as Television Editor since 2018, Ray began five years earlier as a contributing writer/photographer before being brought onto the core BC team in 2017.
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