Timothée Chalamet’s 116-Minute Fantasy Masterpiece Sequel Officially in The Works

Wonka looked like the easiest sequel greenlight in Hollywood. Paul King’s 116-minute musical prequel turned a $125 million budget into $634.5 million worldwide in 2023. It gave Timothée Chalamet a hit outside his usual lane, and left audiences genuinely wanting more.

Now the follow-up has stalled. Speaking to Variety, Simon Farnaby, who co-wrote Wonka with King, co-wrote Paddington 2, and turned up on screen in the film himself, said the sequel is “delayed indefinitely.”

But Warner Bros. isn’t backing that up. A studio spokesperson pushed back on Farnaby’s comments directly, telling press via email:

In other words, the studio is drawing a clear line between what Farnaby said and what it considers the official state of the project, and it’s flatly rejecting the word “delayed.”

That is a sharp turn from where things stood only months ago. Reports earlier this year suggested cameras could roll as soon as August, with a December 2027 release in view (via World of Reel). Warner Bros. had a placeholder family film date on its calendar that most people assumed belonged to Wonka 2.

Why Is Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka Sequel Delayed?

The holdup is not the studio, and it is not the creative team. It is the schedule of the man in the top hat. Simon Farnaby shared that Timothée Chalamet’s schedule and upcoming projects are the reason why the project is delayed. He shared, “He wants to do one, but he’s not sure about timing or what he wants to do next.”

That uncertainty is easy to understand when you look at what Chalamet has done since 2023. He picked up an Oscar nomination for A Complete Unknown, then a third for Marty Supreme, cementing the serious-actor reputation he had been building for years. He also wrapped filming on Dune: Part Three late last year.

In other words, the actor who signed on to the 2023 movie has moved past these single-digit numbers. He is now a three-time Academy Award nominee with his pick of prestige work. Returning to a family musical is not off the table. But it has to fit somewhere, and nothing is currently fitting.

Now Warner Bros.’ denial suggests the studio doesn’t see that as derailing anything, but nothing about Chalamet’s own plans has been confirmed either way.

There is also a paperwork problem. Neither Paul King nor Chalamet has publicly confirmed a signed deal for a sequel, which is likely why Warner Bros. has never formally announced the project despite years of quiet development.

Wonka Kept Simon Farnaby and Paul King Away from Paddington In Peru

A still from Paddington in Peru | Credits: StudioCanal

Here is what makes the delay sting a little more. Paul King and Simon Farnaby gave up their own franchise to make Wonka. Both stepped back from the Paddington films to focus on the chocolate factory, handing the third instalment to a new team.

They still ended up credited as writers on Paddington in Peru, because they supplied the broad shape of the story before leaving. Paddington in Peru did fine, but it never reached the level of the first two films. The pair who defined that series with the second movie were busy elsewhere when it was made.

So Wonka cost them Paddington, and now the Wonka sequel itself is waiting on someone else’s diary. Farnaby and King are set to reunite on Sony’s Labubu movie.

Do you think Wonka 2 will ever actually happen? Let us know in the comments.

Wonka is now available for streaming on HBO Max