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
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (franchise) "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" was released to critical praise and was a box office success, grossing approximately $475 million worldwide, but received mixed to negative reviews when compared with the original 1971 film. A direct-to-video animated crossover film adaptation starring Tom and Jerry, entitled "Tom and Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory", was released in 2017. It stars JP Karliak as Willy Wonka and is dedicated to Gene Wilder, who died less than a year before the release. In October 2016 it was confirmed that Warner Bros are planning a prequel film depicting Willy Wonka's "early adventures" prior