Spider-Man and Uncharted actor Tom Holland nearly added one role to his resume that ultimately went to Timothée Chalamet.
Ever since he was cast as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Peter Parker in 2015, Tom Holland’s name gained some serious cultural cachet. The 27-year-old has appeared in quite a few projects, including multiple Spidey movies and the TV series The Crowded Room.
Often mentioned in the same breath as Holland, due to their popularity and shared age range, Timothée Chalamet also has quite the career under his belt. One which rivals Tom Holland’s, with movies like Dune: Part 2 and the Willy Wonka prequel Wonka set to hit in the coming months.
Tom Holland Was Up for Willy Wonka Role
The latest issue of Total Film Magazine confirmed that Tom Holland was considered for the lead in Wonka thanks to an interview with director Paul King and producer David Heyman.
Holland was reported as being in the running for Wonka back in 2021 when the movie was initially given a release date (via Collider.)
Of course, the part of the fictional chocolatier ultimately went to Timothée Chalamet, with Heyman praising the young actor for having the right qualities to bring Willy Wonka to life in the prequel movie:
“He’s a great actor, eminently likeable, he has a twinkle in his eye, he’s very sensitive. Timmy can handle the comedy, the drama, the emotion. He’s got a voice like an angel. You always feel that there’s a truth to his performance. He’s warm and really tender. But he’s hip.”
The producer went on to promise that Wonka is “different from what we’ve seen” of Chalamet thus far in his career:
“But this is different from what we’ve seen of Timmy. He’s very ambitious for his craft. He wants to work with people who are going to challenge him, in roles that are going to challenge him.”
King concurred with Heyman’s remarks, adding that Timothée Chalamet is his favorite out of all of the actors who have played Willy Wonka:
“I just think he’s absolutely one of the great actors of his generation. He’s incredibly present. He’s so extraordinarily precise, and he can sing, dance, he’s very funny, and he has that slightly unknowable, manic kind of strangeness. Some wonderful, wonderful actors have played Willy Wonka, but he’s my favourite.”
What Is Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka About?
Wonka chronicles the origin of pop culture‘s most famous candymaker. The role was notably played by the late, great Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory from 1971, and again by Johnny Depp in 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
In both of those performances, Willy showed an almost callous disregard towards the children whom he invited into his factory, as the kids found themselves in darkly comical, yet life-threatening situations.
It’s not known if Chalamet’s take on the character will be any more lighthearted and humane than his predecessors.
What is known is that Wonka also stars Sally Hawkins, Keegan-Michael Key, and Rowan Atkinson, and judging by the film’s trailer, Hugh Grant will also offer a dryly sarcastic version of the diminutive Oompa-Loompas.
Warner Bros.’ Wonka hits theaters on December 15, despite fears that it would get pushed back due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
