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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (film) facts for kids

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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (film).png
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Tim Burton
Produced by
Screenplay by John August
Starring
Music by Danny Elfman
Cinematography Philippe Rousselot
Editing by Chris Lebenzon
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date(s) July 10, 2005 (2005-07-10) (Grauman's Chinese Theatre)
July 15, 2005 (2005-07-15) (United States)
July 29, 2005 (2005-07-29) (United Kingdom)
Running time 115 minutes
Country
  • United States
  • United Kingdom
  • Australia
Language English
Budget $150 million
Money made $475 million

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a 2005 American musical fantasy film directed by Tim Burton and written by John August, based on the 1964 British novel of the same name by Roald Dahl. The film stars Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka and Freddie Highmore as Charlie Bucket, alongside David Kelly, Helena Bonham Carter, Noah Taylor, Missi Pyle, James Fox, Deep Roy, and Christopher Lee. The storyline follows Charlie as he wins a contest along with four other children and is led by Wonka on a tour of his chocolate factory.

Development for a second adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (filmed previously as Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory in 1971) began in 1991, which resulted in Warner Bros. providing the Dahl estate with total artistic control. Prior to Burton's involvement, directors such as Gary Ross, Rob Minkoff, Martin Scorsese, and Tom Shadyac had been involved, while actors Bill Murray, Nicolas Cage, Jim Carrey, Michael Keaton, Brad Pitt, Will Smith, Adam Sandler, and many others, were either in discussion with or considered by the studio to play Wonka.

Burton immediately brought regular collaborators Depp and Danny Elfman aboard. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory represents the first time since The Nightmare Before Christmas (which was produced by Burton) that Elfman contributed to a film score using written songs and his vocals. Filming took place from June to December 2004 at Pinewood Studios in the United Kingdom. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was released to positive critical reviews and was a box office success, grossing $475 million worldwide.

Plot

Charlie Bucket and his family live in poverty near the Wonka Factory. The company's owner, Willy Wonka, has long since closed his factory due to problems concerning industrial espionage committed by his jealous rivals, which led him to fire all of his employees, including Charlie's Grandpa Joe.

One day, Wonka restarts his factory and announces a contest in which Golden Tickets have been placed in five random Wonka Bars worldwide, and the winners will receive a full tour of the factory as well as a lifetime supply of chocolate, while one will receive an additional prize at the end of the tour. Wonka's sales subsequently skyrocket, and the first four tickets are found by the gluttonous Augustus Gloop, the spoiled Veruca Salt, the arrogant Violet Beauregarde, and the ill-tempered Mike Teavee. Charlie tries twice to find a ticket, but both bars come up empty. After overhearing that the final ticket was found in Russia, Charlie finds a ten-dollar note and purchases a third Wonka Bar. The Russian ticket is revealed to be a forgery just as Charlie discovers the real ticket inside the wrapper. He receives monetary offers for the ticket, but the cashier tells him to not trade it at any cost, and Charlie runs back home. At home, Charlie says that he wants to trade it for money for his family's betterment. After a pep talk from Grandpa George however, he decides to keep it and brings Grandpa Joe to accompany him on the tour.

Charlie and the other ticket holders are greeted outside the factory by Wonka, who then leads them into the facility. Individual character flaws cause the other four children to give into temptation, resulting in their elimination from the tour while Wonka's new employees, the Oompa-Loompas, sing a song of morality after each. All the while, Wonka reminisces on his troubled past and how his dentist father, Wilbur, strictly forbade him from consuming candy due to the potential dental risks. After sneaking a piece of candy, Wonka instantly became hooked and ran away from home to follow his dreams. When he returned however, both his father and their house were gone. After the tour, the four eliminated children leave the factory with an exaggerated characteristic or deformity related to their elimination while Charlie learns that Wonka, now approaching retirement, intended to find a worthy heir. Since Charlie was the "least rotten" of the five, Wonka invites Charlie to come live and work in the factory with him, on the condition that he leave his family behind. Charlie declines, as his family is the most important thing in his life.

As Charlie and his family live contently, Wonka becomes despondent, causing his company and sales to decline. He eventually turns to Charlie for advice, and he decides to help Wonka reconcile with his estranged father. During the reunion, Wonka realizes the value of family while Wilbur accepts his son for who he is and not what he does. Afterwards, Wonka allows Charlie and his family to move into the factory together.

Cast

Prequel

In January 2021, a prequel titled Wonka, was reported to be in development and is scheduled to be released on March 17, 2023. It has been reported that Depp won't be reprising the titular role, and potential candidates such as Freddie Highmore, Tom Holland, Timothée Chalamet, Ben Whishaw, Asa Butterfield, and Dev Patel are being considered.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Charlie y la fábrica de chocolate (película) para niños

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