Who can take the sunrise and mix it with dew? The candy man can! Willy Wonka has been redone numerous times and a new one is coming, which will star Timothée Chalamet.
Gene Wilder was the original Willy Wonka and then passed the torch to Johnny Depp. Now, Chalamet will star in an origin story of the popular candy man. Wilder passed away in 2016, but his legacy will live on forever. Despite Tim Burton's version having more popular actors, the original is the most popular amongst fans. Even though there were sequels to the novels, a sequel movie was never made.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was based off the 1964 novel "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by Ronald Dahl. The movie inspired the creation of the Wonka Bar, alongside the Everlasting Gobstopper and the Scrumdiddlyumptious Bar.
Despite the actors all playing Willy Wonka, they all had vastly different careers. Between Wilder, Depp and Chalamet, who's net worth is higher?
9 Gene Wilder's Career
Gene Wilder was already an established actor before Willy Wonka happened. He starred in many films and TV shows including Bonnie and Clyde, The Producers, Death of a Salesman, The DuPont Show Of The Week and more. Before those roles he was a stage actor. Once Wilder starred in Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory, his career skyrocketed. The Academy Award nominated actor acted until 2003. You might have seen him in Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, See No Evil, Hear No Evil or the other numerous credits he did.
His last role was a guest spot on Will & Grace in 2003, for which he won an Emmy Award. After that guest role, Wilder turned to writing. He went on to write a memoir, a collection of stories and novels.
8 Wilder As Wonka
The actor auditioned for Mel Stuart's film adaption of Dahl's novel. After reciting some lines, the director immediately offered him the role. However, before Wilder, other actors, like Fred Astaire, Joel Grey, Ron Moody, and Jon Pertwee were all considered. Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory was not a commercial success on it's opening weekend, but critics gave it positive reviews. The movie went on to earn a gross box office earning of over $4 million. Today, the film is still very popular and part of that might be due to how Wilder played the role.
7 Gene Wilder's Net Worth At The Time Of His Death
Sadly, Gene Wilder passed away at the age of 83 on August 29, 2016 from complications of Alzheimer's disease, which was kept private from fans until after his death. The actor left behind an incredible legacy and net worth. At the time of his death, Celebrity Net Worth believed that his net worth was around $20 million. Wilder never had any children, so when he died his fortune was transferred to his wife and his nephew, Jordan Walker-Pearlman, who became the family spokesperson.
Wilder also had a property in Connecticut worth $1 million and a home in Bel Air, which he bought for $2.75 million. The actor sold his house in 2013 to Elon Musk for $6.75 million. The SpaceX CEO wound up selling the property last year to Wilder's nephew.
6 Johnny Depp's Career
Johnny Depp is one of the most popular and well-paid actors of our time. The Golden Globe Award winner has an impressive filmography, spanning from film and TV. He is best known for starring in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and working alongside Tim Burton. Depp has starred in some of the most popular roles such as Corpse Bride, Alice In Wonderland, 21 Jump Street, Finding Neverland and so much more. One role that he will also be remembered for is Willy Wonka in the 2005 version of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory.
5 Depp's Time As Wonka
Johnny Depp's iteration of Willy Wonka was a lot creepier than Wilder's. In 2012, he appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and shared some inspiration behind his character. “The idea behind Will Wonka, certain ingredients you add to these characters like Willy Wonka for example. I imagined what George Bush would be like incredibly stoned. And, thus was born my version of Willy Wonka," he told the talk show host. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory was met with positive critical reviews, Depp's role was not as well perceived. The film grossed $475 million in the box office.
4 Johnny Depp's Current Net Worth
With an impressive career in film, TV and movie, Depp has racked up an impressive net worth. Despite his legal battle with his ex-wife, the actor still has enough money to last him lifetimes. At the height of his fame, the 58-year-old was worth upwards of $900 million and was one of the highest paid actors in Hollywood. But sadly, he lost a lot of that money.
His net worth drastically dropped to $650 million, and now it is estimated to be around $150 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. His movies has grossed billions of dollars, and his annual salary is known to top $100 million, which makes him one of the highest paid actors on the planet and the highest earning of the three Wonkas.
3 Timothée Chalamet's Career
At 25-years-old, Timothée Chalamet's career is just beginning. He rose to fame for his role in Call Me By Your Name, in which he was nominated for an Academy Award. He has also acted in Lady Bird, Beautiful Boy, Little Women, Homeland and more. He wrapped up two films Don't Look Up and Bones & All, which are both in post-production.
Several media publications consider him to be among the most talented actors of his generation. Chalamet has been nominated for an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, BAFTA Award, a SAG Award and a Critic's Choice Movie Award. Now, he is gearing up to become this generation's new Willy Wonka.
2 Chalamet As Wonka
Wonka is an upcoming musical fantasy film, slated to be released on March 17, 2023. Chalamet will play a young Willy Wonka, and the film will explore the origins of the candy man. The film is directed by Paul King. Filming has just begun on the film, so no teaser trailer or photos have been released yet.
The role is a different one for Chalamet, as he will be showing off his singing and dancing skills. There were mixed reactions from fans online. Some asked why they need an origin story while others are happy there may be some plot from the book included in.
1 Timothée Chalamet's Net Worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Timothée Chalamet's net worth is said to be around $10 million, making him the lowest earned of the Wonka actors. He did start out as a child actor, but until 2017, Chalamet did not have commercial success. With many more movies on the horizon, his net worth should only increase in the next few years and will most likely more than double in the next decade.