Brad Pitt is one of the most famous men on the planet, and he achieved his status in pop culture by being an incredibly talented actor who was capable of anchoring a blockbuster hit. Pitt has worked with the best in the business, and while his marriages and friendships have made headlines, people still prefer it best when Pitt is lighting it up on the big screen.
Over the years, Pitt has made a name for himself by tackling interesting characters and thriving in his biggest roles, and there was once a point when he was in consideration for Willy Wonka. That’s right, had things gone differently, Brad Pitt would have been peddling candy to the masses.
Let’s take a look at what happened with Brad Pitt on his road to playing Willy Wonka!
Pitt Was Courted To Play Wonka In The 2000s
As fans have gotten to see over the years, Brad Pitt has turned into one of the finest actors in Hollywood, and he is more than capable of taking on roles of all shapes and sizes while delivering an incredible performance. During the 2000s, Brad Pitt was actually approached to play in Tim Burton’s version of Willy Wonka.
There were a number of people that were in consideration to play Willy Wonka, as this movie was poised to do big business at the box office, given its ties to the legendary film starring Gene Wilder. Needless to say, there was going to be a significant amount of hype around the film, and any actor that was going to step into the role of Willy Wonka was going to have a huge responsibility on their shoulders.
During this particular time, Brad Pitt had already solidified himself as a tremendous acting talent, but he had yet to take him his first Academy Award. Despite this, the studio, which teamed with his production company, was still incredibly interested in making him the infamous candy company owner, and we have to imagine what that film would have looked like with Brad Pitt in the lead role.
At the end of the day, things did not work out for Brad Pitt in landing the role of Willy Wonka. Instead, Tim Burton would turn to a familiar face to take on the character and bring the story to life for a new generation.
Johnny Depp Got The Role
Even though Brad Pitt’s production company was involved in the making of Tim Burton’s version of Willy Wonka, Pitt would not end up landing the role in the film. Johnny Depp would be the one to take on the modern version of the character while bringing his eccentric style to Tim Burton’s vision.
Once it was discovered that Johnny Depp was going to be taking on the role of Willy Wonka, people were incredibly interested to see what he was going to bring to the table with the character. Back in the 1970s, Gene Wilder gave such an iconic performance as Willy Wonka, and many people felt that there was simply no way that Johnny Depp was going to live up to those lofty expectations.
At the end of the day, what fans wound up getting was a very odd take on the story itself, which is pretty much in line with what people were expecting from Tim Burton. The version of the character that Johnny Depp played fit perfectly into Tim Burton‘s world, but it was a stark contrast from the character that we all grew up watching.
Nevertheless, the film was still a financial success, and it wound up finding a number of people that still enjoy it to this very day. In fact, there is a notable figure on TikTok who has been going viral by dressing as Johnny Depp’s version of the character.
Despite the fact that Johnny Depp wound up landing the role in the 2005 version of the film, it looks as though a remake could be on the horizon.
There Is Buzz About Pitt Taking The Role In A Reboot
It’s amazing that 15 years have already passed since Johnny Depp took on Willy Wonka, and if rumors are to be believed, Brad Pitt is once again in contention for the role.
Pitt is not someone who is accustomed to playing silly roles made for children, but this could be an interesting character for him to take on, as it will allow him to tap into a completely different side of his acting abilities.
According to Ace Showbiz, there are several other people in contention for the role of Willy Wonka, including Ryan Gosling and Donald Glover. That is some stiff competition, but being an Academy Award winner, Brad Pitt is certainly going to give everyone a run for their money.
So, even though he missed out on a chance to play Willy Wonka 15 years ago, Brad Pitt now has a chance to make big things happen with the character on the big screen. Let’s just hope that this film is better than the last one that we got.