SPOILERS AHEAD!!
He’s a magician, an inventor, a chocolate maker… He’s Willy Wonka! The new film “Wonka” was released in theaters on Dec. 15, 2023, and has succeeded in making over 500 million in the box office. It was nominated for a Golden Globe award (Best Leading Actor Award), and nominated for BAFTA 2024 (Most Outstanding British Film).
“Of all the highest-grossing movie musicals worldwide, “Wonka” has spent the longest time in the domestic Top 3. “Wonka” has had an outstanding week-on-week hold at the domestic Box Office, approaching the $200 million milestone. The movie is projected to hit No. 3 and add an additional $5.8 million at the domestic Box Office by the end of its seventh weekend,” according to Screenrant.
The movie starts with Willy Wonka, starring Timothee Chalamet, leaving his home to go to “The Galeries Gourme” the most famous chocolate center, he hopes to open a chocolate factory that can sell his unique chocolate and to fulfill his and his mothers dream. Wonka’s mother died when he was a young boy, but she promised she’d support him when he opened his chocolate shop. Wonka has trouble and it seems like the whole town is against affordable, fun, and unique chocolate. This chocolate is very different from the other stores selling at The Galeries Gourme. The three local chocolate shop owners, Arthur Slugworth, Fickelgruber, and Prodnose saw Wonka’s chocolate as competition. They knew he would put them out of business and they had to do anything to stop him.
MOVIE SYNOPSIS
After Slugworth, Fickelgruber, and Prodnose called the police on Wonka, Wonka’s earnings were suspended and he was banned from selling chocolate without a legal shop. When Wonka can’t open his shop or make money he gives up for the day with no money and no place to stay. A man named Mr. Bleacher approaches him and offers him a place to stay at Scrubbitts & Bleachers for a “small price.” Little does Wonka know that the other owner Ms. Scrubitts would have him sign a contract with lots of ridiculous fine prints that would cause him to be in debt and to pay off this debt he would be locked away beneath the business.
Underneath the business, he meets an assortment of people trying to pay off their debt, Such as a young girl named Noodle, a former accountant Abacus Crunch, a plumber Piper Benz, a telephone operator Lottie Bell, and failed comedian Larry Chucklesworth. Noodle has the highest debt racked up and must work the longest. Wonka and Noodle had a special bond and he promised to give her a better life. The six of them come up with an elaborate plan to pay off their debt and Wonka would finally be able to sell chocolate. They planned to sneak out of Scrubbitts & Bleachers and sell chocolate in the streets before anyone noticed they were gone, and escape through the sewers just before the police could catch them.
The chief of police was bribed with chocolate from Slugworth, Fickelgruber, and Prodnose; their goal was to get rid of Wonka forever. Eventually, Wonka had enough money to buy a shop and they then proceeded to make enough money to pay off their debts. Slugworth, Fickelgruber, and Prodnose were losing money and they bribed Ms. Scrubitts and Mr. Bleachers to poison the chocolate Wonka was selling. This caused Wonka’s customers to grow hair everywhere and they became enraged and they burned down his shop. Wonka became depressed because his dreams were crushed and his mother never came to support him. Slugworth, Fickelgruber, and Prodnose promised Wonka that they would pay off all of the debts and more for Noodle so she could grow up comfortably if he left The Galeries Gourme and never sold chocolate again. Wonka agreed and he left, Slugworth, Fickelgruber, and Prodnose set bombs on the boat Wonka was on.
Thankfully a friend of Wonka came to help him, an Oompa Loompa. Wonka owed this Oompa Loompa chocolate and the Oompa Loompa followed him until Wonka’s debt was paid. In the end, Wonka exposed the corrupt chief of police, Slugworth, Fickelgruber, and Prodnose, based on records they’ve kept of all of their wrongdoings. He finally opened his shop and he saw his mother in the crowd.
“I’m a really big Timothee Chalamet fan, so when I saw he was starring in my favorite childhood movie I had to see it. I loved absolutely this movie. It was funny and colorful, who wouldn’t love it.” Sophomore Myra Ahmed said.
