Netflix's 'Wonka' reality show. Netflix Logo text Netflix has unveiled the official trailer of a bizarre reality competition show based on Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
Titled Wonka‘s The Golden Ticket, the unscripted nine-episode series has contestants navigating a colorful “factory” and competing in various challenges inspired by the iconic Roald Dahl novel (Netflix bought the Roald Dahl Story Company in 2021).
The footage shows contestants happily enduring all sorts of mayhem, while being guided by the voice of the late actor Gene Wilder, who famously played Willy Wonka in the 1971 movie. Netflix and Eureka Productions, which is behind The Golden Ticket, got permission from Wilder’s estate and worked with AI company ElevenLabs to re-create the late actor’s voice. It’s a rather unsettling choice, and might strike some as a bit tasteless, if not outright creepy.
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The official description: “Twelve lucky Golden Ticket winners, each with a partner of their choosing, will step through the gates of Wonka’s Chocolate Factory and into a world of pure imagination, delicious mischief, and unexpected challenges. Once inside, contestants must navigate a series of Wonka’s games, tests, and temptations designed to challenge them physically, mentally, and morally. In this high-stakes social experiment, players will journey through the factory’s wondrous and unpredictable landscape, adapting, strategizing, and withstanding the unknown while proving they have the instincts, resilience, and character to thrive in chaos. In the end, only one contestant will have what it takes to earn Wonka’s life-changing prize.”
As for using Wilder’s voice, Karen B. Wilder, Gene Wilder’s wife, on behalf of the Gene Wilder estate, wrote in a statement: “More than five decades after Gene brought Willy Wonka to life, people of all ages and backgrounds around the world continue to find joy, laughter and inspiration in his performance. Gene had a remarkable ability to bring humor, wonder and heart into people’s lives, and that connection has endured for generations. We are delighted that Wonka’s The Golden Ticket celebrates the warmth and imagination that he brought to the role, introducing that magic to a new generation while honoring the fans who have cherished it for decades.”
Along with Wilder’s re-created voice, The Golden Ticket will feature Rusty Goffe, who played an Oompa Loompa in the 1971 movie.
Chris Culvenor, Paul Franklin, Rikkie Proost, David Tibballs, Alison Holloway and Emer Harkin executive produce Wonka’s The Golden Ticket. The series is scheduled to premiere Sept. 23.
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