Netflix's Willy Wonka Recast Is A New Low After Wilder, Depp & Chalamet

Published Oct 5, 2026, 3:40 PM EDT Mary Kassel is a Senior Writer & Critic who joined the Screen Rant team in 2023. After graduating from Emerson College with a degree in Media Arts Production, Kassel started at Screen Rant with a focus on the critical analysis side of movies and television while continuing to work on set in film production. At Screen Rant, Kassel primarily writes for the Classic TV section, mining their encyclopedic knowledge of television history for content. However, they also contribute to the Books team and review both film and television as a critic. When it comes to the best children's fantasy characters of all time, it's nearly impossible to beat the legacy of Willy Wonka. Though Charlie and the Chocolate Factory follows the journey of the protagonist, Charlie, it's the eccentric candy maker he meets who has inspired spinoffs and origin stories. Gene Wilder was the perfect choice to bring Wonka to life in the first film adaptation of the book, and he is a large part of why people still watch Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory today. Decades after Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's initial publication in 1964, Willy Wonka is still a name synonymous with fun, fantasy, and memorable moments from childhood. Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka works not only as a character but as a symbol of why viewers are moved by the story. This makes it difficult when new adaptations come on the scene, since the 1971 film remains so beloved. After Wilder, Johnny Depp and Timothée Chalamet both put their spin on the role in vastly different adaptations of the material. Though neither is quite up to Wilder's level, many audiences and critics would be glad to see Chalamet return for Wonka 2. Depp and Chalamet weren't perfect, but they were far better than Netflix's new take on Willy Wonka. In the recent reality series Wonka's The Golden Ticket, the series uses an AI-generated version of Wilder's voice to host the show. It's fair to say Wonka's The Golden Ticket is a poor addition to the franchise, and using an artificial Wilder makes it nearly impossible to watch. Netflix's AI Recreation Of Willy Wonka Is As Bad As It Sounded Wonka's Golden Ticket is technically part of the larger Charlie and the Chocolate Factory franchise, but practically in name only. The reality series follows 12 groups of two as they compete against each other in Wonka-themed challenges inside a chocolate factory. However, none of the sets or obstacles bear much resemblance to Dahl's world. Competition-based reality shows aren't new for Netflix, but using an AI recreation of an actor's voice is. When it was reported that Gene Wilder would return for Netflix's new series, this raised some questions, as the actor passed away in 2016. Unfortunately, the streamer decided to use AI, with the permission of Wilder's estate, to license his voice to serve as the narrator and disembodied host of Wonka's Golden Ticket. The results are as uncomfortable as viewers might imagine. Eerie, uncanny, and missing the warmth and humor that characterized Wilder's performance, the AI voice was a major misstep for Netflix. Regardless of personal feelings or the ongoing debate about AI usage in media and television, it's almost never going to be the right choice to use this technology in this way. Wonka's Golden Ticket could've easily paid tribute to the original actor with clips from the movie, or left him out entirely. This would've been better than how Wilder is portrayed in the show. Netflix's Willy Wonka Series Is A Miss, Even If You Ignore The AI Wonka Taking the pseudo-Wilder voice out of the equation still doesn't make watching Wonka's The Golden Ticket any easier. The reality series is another example of the streamer using a recycled, canned premise for a game show and dressing it up with familiar IP to resonate with audiences. Unfortunately, this didn't work, as Wonka's The Golden Ticket Rotten Tomatoes rating has made history with a shockingly low score of just 11 percent. Any sense of stakes or excitement is virtually nonexistent throughout Wonka's Golden Ticket, making it an easy skip, even for diehard fans of the franchise. As a character, Willy Wonka will be safe, since he's already an established part of the story, and one lukewarm reality show won't disrupt this. However, the sooner Wonka's Golden Ticket fades into obscurity, the better. Release Date September 23, 2026 Network Netflix