Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (film) Palin (as well as the other three Monty Python members) had all previously expressed interest in playing Wonka in the 1971 film adaptation. Johnny Depp was the only actor Burton considered for the role, although Dwayne Johnson was Burton's second choice in case Depp was unavailable. Depp signed on without reading the script under the intention of going with a completely different approach than what Gene Wilder did in the 1971 film adaptation. Depp said regardless of the original film, Gene Wilder's characterization of Willy Wonka stood out as a unique portrayal. Depp and Burton derived their Willy Wonka from
The Willy Wonka Candy Company The Willy Wonka Candy Company The Willy Wonka Candy Company was an American/British brand of confectionery owned and licensed by Swiss corporation Nestlé. The Wonka brand's inception comes from materials licensed from British author Roald Dahl. His classic children's novel, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", and its film adaptations are the source of both the packaging and the marketing styles of the Wonka brand. The brand was launched on 17 May 1971, pre-dating by a month a tie-in launch coinciding with the release of the novel's first film adaptation on 30 June. In 1988 the Willy Wonka Candy Company brand