Willy Wonka May 2003, Burton immediately thought of Johnny Depp for the role of Willy Wonka, who joined the following August for his fourth collaboration with the director. Burton and screenwriter John August worked together in creating Wilbur Wonka, Willy's domineering dentist father. "You want a little bit of the flavor of why Wonka is the way he is," Burton reasoned. "Otherwise, what is he? He's just a weird guy." Warner Bros. and Burton held differences over the characterization of Willy Wonka. The studio wanted to make Willy Wonka the idyllic father figure Charlie Bucket had longed for his entire life. Burton
Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka (musical) shoes". Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka (musical) Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka is a musical that combines elements of both Roald Dahl's book "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and of the 1971 movie "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" with newly created material. The musical has several versions: the original version which premiered in 2004, the Junior version, the Kids version, and the Theatre for Young Audiences version. All are owned by Music Theatre International, the company that owns the Willy Wonka license. After getting approval from the Dahl estate, Tim McDonald and Leslie Bricusse worked together on the play. McDonald said