We finally have a first look at Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka, and boy, is it a treat. The 25-year-old actor, who’s set to portray the fictional chocolatier in Wonka come 2023, offered eager fans a glimpse at his getup for the Warner Bros. movie on Monday and was soon after spotted filming on set in England. Though Timothée will be playing a young version of Wonka before he opens his larger-than-life chocolate factory, his costume is instantly recognisable and draws inspiration from those worn by Gene Wilder in 1971’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and Johnny Depp in 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Timothée’s take on the eccentric candy maker cherry-picks fashion details from the franchise’s past films – most noticeably, the berry-coloured, velvety-smooth coat and top hat – but also weaves in subtle upgrades that are entirely new to the character. Ahead, we take an up-close look at Timothée’s dapper Wonka ensemble to dissect what makes it fresh and 2023-approved while also paying homage to the chocolatier’s roots.
Getty / Finnbarr Webster
Timothée Chalamet's Willy Wonka Costume
The Wonka costume department landed on a knee-length velvet coat in a dark magenta colour that’s visually similar to the one worn by Johnny Depp. If you zoom in on the right lapel and lower left corner, you’ll see some intricate floral embroidery that was absent from the past two films.
Getty / Finnbarr Webster
Shout-out to the breeze in England for revealing the colorful underside of Timothée’s Wonka coat. As for the layers underneath, he was rocking a pink-and-purple patterned scarf tucked into a black-and-mustard button-up waistcoat.
Getty / Finnbarr Webster
Timothée’s beige striped trousers were rolled to the calves to show off some worn-in, lace-up boots. Also, in this take, he subbed in a simple navy scarf in lieu of the previous patterned one.
Getty / Finnbarr Webster
There were some striped high socks hiding under those brown boots of his, too, further adding to the costume’s overall eccentric feel.
Getty / Finnbarr Webster
Last but most certainly not least, Timothée had a brown top hat and simple wooden walking stick with a bronze handle.
Getty / Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Johnny Depp's Willy Wonka Costume
Johnny’s coat featured thin silver stripes, and underneath he wore a sleek black waistcoat and colorful paisley shirt. Instead of a scarf or tie, his version of Wonka had a cursive “W” pendant adhered to his collar.
Getty / Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Contrasting Timothée’s wooden cane, Johnny’s was filled to the brim with colorful sprinkles and topped with a whimsical black-and-white handle.
Getty / Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
We desperately hope to see Timothée rocking a version of these iconic sunglasses.
Getty / Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Oh, and we can’t forget the plum-colored gloves that fit so tightly, they were like a second skin. Meanwhile, his top hat was black instead of brown and had two stripes that matched his coat.
Getty / Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
He also wore black pants rather than beige and had a silver chain attached to his waistcoat.
Getty / Courtesy Everett Collection
Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka Costume
Back in 1971, Gene portrayed Willy Wonka for the first time in a long velvet coat that skewed far more purple than modern-day iterations.
Getty / Courtesy Everett Collection
His costume featured a large neutral bow tie that has been replaced by Johnny’s “W” pendant and Timothée’s scarf. His waistcoat, meanwhile, was more similar to Timothée’s with its pink-and-purple floral pattern, gold buttons, and silver threading.
Getty / Courtesy Everett Collection
He wore solid-colored beige pants sans stripes and brown shoes.
Getty / Courtesy Everett Collection
Gene’s brown hat resembled Timothée’s in its simplicity.
Getty / Miramax/Courtesy Everett Collection
Will Timothée tote around a giant mushroom on his cane like Gene did back in the day? We’ll have to wait until 2023 to find out.
