Wonka enjoys sweet success at box office

Nearly six decades after British writer Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was published, the story of the legendary chocolate maker Willy Wonka is being retold in the musical fantasy movie Wonka, with Hollywood actor Timothee Chalamet playing the titular role.

The movie has grossed more than 26 million yuan ($3.6 million) at the box office since its release in Chinese mainland on Dec 8.

Under the helm of director Paul King, known for the 2014 film Paddington, the new movie is set 25 years before the events of the novel. Wonka, a 25-something genius candy maker, arrives in London to pursue his dream of opening a store and providing the best chocolates to the people. However, he encounters various obstacles, from an evil hotel owner to a corrupt police officer and three hostile local candy giants.

Development of the film began in October 2016, after Warner Bros. Pictures acquired the rights to the titular character, following their previous adaptation, Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, in 2005. The new film commenced principal photography in the United Kingdom in September 2021.

Currently, the film has earned a high score at 7.6 points out of 10 on Douban, the country's most popular reviewing site. Chinese netizens were particularly impressed by Hugh Grant playing an Oompa Loompa, one of the tiny workers in the tale.