Wonka | December 15, 2023 | TIMOTHEE IS WILLY WONKA FAM | 6th Most Profitable Movie of 2023

[Bob Train]

I don't think the RT score is that surprising, It's a Paul King film. I guess people were just cherry-picking negative social media reactions, even though the positive ones way outnumber the negatives. 

[dudalb]

On 12/4/2023 at 4:16 PM, SpiderByte said:

...I dunno about "the next DiCaprio" but he is likely gonna be big

let's see if he has Di Caprio's versatiltty and acting chops, and if he can play the "One for me, One for them" game as well as DiCaprio can.

[TwoMisfits]

4 hours ago, Kon said:

 

That's something I've noticed from the trailers. One of the reason why I have good expectatives for Wonka.

 

However, it seems a good amount of people complaint about this trait on Wonka. I don't know a lot about 1971 movie, but it seems Wonka wasn't so nice on these movies.

 

He's also not nice in the original Dahl books...it's part of the charm of the books...

[MovieMan89]

Yeah reviews starting to look more like a Paul King movie now. Hope it blows up if it’s half as great as Paddington(s). 

[MovieMan89]

6 hours ago, titanic2187 said:

I just finished the movie and I've just seen the most "holiday" movie in recent years. I can safely say the GA will eat this up, they will really really eat this up. Yes it is formulaic but at least a well executed one. I would say this is better made and crafted TGS, tightly paced and never lose its charm from start til the end. Only if they can make the third act more exciting and complete. Songs wise, TGS definitely has a better soundtracks and Wonka has some catchy but just fine songs to make this a worthy musical take. 

 

Given just how much the movie is fitting holiday atmosphere, I am actually surprised WB's initial plan was to release this during March? Glad that WB stick this movie in Dec instead of moving Dune 2 here.

 

Overall I agree Wonka is a very agreeable feel good crowd-pleaser but I can understand the criticism too. The movie failed as a prequel to 1971's Willy Wonka. The story was very standalone and almost made you felt like it was an original movie that WB just choose to throw this original story into the "Wonka" universe to boost its awareness. In regard to Chalamet, he is too charming, so charm til you aren't sure if he is playing Wonka or a Santa Clause. 

 

 

 

 

I had zero clue this was tied to the OG movie until just a few months ago. I think it would have been far smarter to make it its own separate thing entirely (and I felt that’s what early marketing suggested), so interesting to hear that as your sole complaint. 
 

I also wonder what they were thinking if this does indeed breakout as a huge hit? They’ve painted themselves into an unnecessary corner for sequels by tying it down to the 70s movie when it probably will have very little bearing on success here. 

Edited December 6, 2023 by MovieMan89

[vale9001]

1.3M dollars opening day in Spain e possible 5.5M first weekend. I think the official predictions of a 30-35M first overseas weekend were too low. 

Edited December 7, 2023 by vale9001

[Kon]

13 hours ago, MovieMan89 said:

I had zero clue this was tied to the OG movie until just a few months ago. I think it would have been far smarter to make it its own separate thing entirely (and I felt that’s what early marketing suggested), so interesting to hear that as your sole complaint. 
 

I also wonder what they were thinking if this does indeed breakout as a huge hit? They’ve painted themselves into an unnecessary corner for sequels by tying it down to the 70s movie when it probably will have very little bearing on success here. 

 

If Wonka is pretty popular, I guess they could take the "Rise of the Planet of Apes" path.

 

They could say Wonka is really a reboot and make sequels to this movie.

Edited December 7, 2023 by Kon

[Hatebox]

The original Wonka movie seems to be a cult classic in the US but definitely isn’t in the UK so I’m sure audiences in the latter will just take it as its own thing. 
 

I never saw the original but I did read the book, and the wonka in that generally finds children annoying so it’s funny seeing this new version of him that, apparently, loves them. 
 

 

Edited December 7, 2023 by Hatebox

[Grebacio]

19 hours ago, Grebacio said:

Letterboxd score sits at 3.5 with 4.1k views

Now 3.6 with 6.3k views

[ChipDerby]

I think people need to rewatch the original if they think Wonka was this psychopath. Chill. 

[AniNate]

On 12/6/2023 at 3:45 PM, Bob Train said:

I don't think the RT score is that surprising, It's a Paul King film. I guess people were just cherry-picking negative social media reactions, even though the positive ones way outnumber the negatives. 

 

To be fair there were some rather surprising unenthused reactions. Usually Germain Lussier and Drew Mcweeny are among the more forgiving critics.

[dudalb]

1 hour ago, AniNate said:

 

To be fair there were some rather surprising unenthused reactions. Usually Germain Lussier and Drew Mcweeny are among the more forgiving critics.

ANytime a sucessful maker of modest budget movies gets a big budget blockbuster, a few critics are ready to shout "Sell Out".

To be honest a lot of directors have problems with their first big budget problems; Remains to be seen if this is the case here.

[dudalb]

10 hours ago, ChipDerby said:

I think people need to rewatch the original if they think Wonka was this psychopath. Chill. 

Agreed. Greanted, the 1971 film has some edge to it, inserted by Roald Dahl with his script. The Martin Bormann joke, for instance.

Went right over the head of some people then, kand certainly most people now.

Joke is when they show the photo of the German Immigrant to Argentina who supposedly won the Fifth GOlden Ticket on the newscasts, it is that of Martin Bormann, Hitler's right hand man, who at the time was rumored to have fled to Argentina.Of course, in 1973 remains found during a consructin project in Berlin proved to be that of Bormann, he never made it out of Berlin.

[Issac Newton]

China 

 

Numbers might be poor but score are extremely positive ~ 844 P vs 5 N reviews in Maoyan.

[Issac Newton]

Same for Japan - 3.8 Y! but 4.2 Filmarks, 4.3 MW &4.5 映画! ~ 84% RT

[JustLurking]

WOM seems really strong and it's a perfect holiday film, should do well. Opening seems very muted outside of Europe where it is doing very good numbers though.

[excel1]

Reception is all that matters for this type of film right now, good job by the team. 

[lorddemaxus]

Was expecting this to do Mary Poppins Returns numbers, which would've been respectable, but this seems to have much better audience reception than that film so far. Think this should cross $400 mil WW

[poweranimals]

On 12/6/2023 at 6:14 PM, MovieMan89 said:

I had zero clue this was tied to the OG movie until just a few months ago. I think it would have been far smarter to make it its own separate thing entirely (and I felt that’s what early marketing suggested), so interesting to hear that as your sole complaint. 
 

I also wonder what they were thinking if this does indeed breakout as a huge hit? They’ve painted themselves into an unnecessary corner for sequels by tying it down to the 70s movie when it probably will have very little bearing on success here. 

Wait. It's tied to the 70s movie? This is news to me.

[Krissykins]

On 12/7/2023 at 11:33 AM, vale9001 said:

1.3M dollars opening day in Spain e possible 5.5M first weekend. I think the official predictions of a 30-35M first overseas weekend were too low. 

£2m opening Friday here in the UK too. 
 

£7m+ weekend should be easy.