Wonka, a reimagined prequel to the beloved 1971 classic film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, will be released by Warner Bros. in 2023 after much anticipation over the years. Fans have taken to Twitter to create the all-star cast they’d love to see on the silver screen, and that includes Janelle Monáe as the titular character.
The new film will be directed by Paddington’s Paul King and has been in the works for nearly five years. This latest cinematic adaptation of Roald Dahl’s children’s books focuses on the formative years of Willy Wonka.
According to Collider, Warner is eyeing Tom Holland and Timothée Chalamet to play the acclaimed role previously portrayed by Gene Wilder in 1971 and Johnny Depp in the 2005 musical film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
In 2018, Donald Glover, Ezra Miller and Ryan Gosling were reportedly on the shortlist of actors to play Wonka as a young man in the film. Meanwhile, Black Twitter has another eccentric star in mind for the origin story of the chocolatier.
The Grammy-nominated singer is known for her eccentric style and extraordinary artistic capabilities, but she’s no stranger to cinema. Monáe snagged her first starring roles in Moonlight and Hidden Figures. Most recently, she starred as Eden in the 2020 thriller Antebellum.
Aside from the calls for Monáe, Black Twitter also has its sights on Outkast rapper André 3000. The hip-hop phenom landed the leading role in the 2013 biopic Jimi: All is by My Side and also starred in Four Brothers back in 2005. Fans believe the rapper’s extravagant style seamlessly pairs with the eccentric nature of the film’s main character.
So far, the studio hasn't responded to fans' fantasy casting, but these outfits alone prove Monáe's name certainly should be thrown in the ring. Check out some of her flyest suits and flashiest accessories over the years.
