Wait, Is ‘Wonka’ Supposed To Be a Musical?

The highly anticipated Wonka has arrived in theaters and has been mostly well-received. However, the film is quite different from what the trailers teased, leaving potential moviegoers uncertain about its nature, including whether it is a musical.

Wonka is a prequel to Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory novel and tells the origin story of the eponymous Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet). While Chalamet taking the titular role was exciting, viewers did have some concerns leading up to the film. Given that Wonka becomes a rather villainous character by the time Charlie and the Chocolate Factory takes place, viewers were confused as to why his origin story appeared to be so cheery and optimistic. Additionally, viewers weren’t sure what to expect from Chalamet since the whimsical and sometimes silly role was so different from the roles he’s accustomed to.

As the reviews come in, though, many are starting to realize that the promotional materials may not have done justice to Wonka. While most reviews are positive, some viewers may be alarmed when they start hearing mentions of songs in the film. After all, the trailers didn’t give any hints of there being musical numbers in the film.

Is Wonka actually a musical?

As odd as it sounds, the confusion over whether Wonka is a musical is warranted. Both its predecessors, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, were musicals. Hence, there was a pattern of these adaptations being musicals. At the same time, the absence of musical elements in promotional materials suggested otherwise.

However, Wonka is filled with music. Within the first minutes of the film, viewers will hear Chalamet burst into song, and the musical numbers only continue from there. Even so, there’s still some debate over whether it’s really a musical. Back in September, director Paul King stated that Wonka was “more like a movie with songs than a musical.” He made this distinction because the characters don’t sing the dialogue, but musical and dance sequences are scattered throughout.

King has since seemingly changed his stance on Wonka, though. In a recent interview with BFI, he embraced the label of a “musical” and explained that he wanted the film to be one so that it could serve as a “companion piece” to the original movie and because Dahl’s writing was so “rhythmical” that music just goes along well with it. So, despite some denial and hiding, Wonka is, indeed, a musical.

Wonka isn’t the only movie that has seemingly been hiding its musical status. Films like 2024’s Mean Girls and The Color Purple have also made their musical nature less obvious. It’s unclear why exactly studios are hiding musicals. However, it’s likely because they believe viewers will prematurely judge the films and opt not to see them if they’re aware that they’re musicals. Given how the idea of a musical Doctor Who or MCU project got mixed reactions from viewers, studios may be right about musicals coming with negative connotations. Viewers may not be too keen on being misled, but Wonka’s secretive musical status doesn’t seem to have negatively impacted its reception.

(featured image: Warner Bros.)