Ready to step into a world of pure imagination with Timothée Chalamet? The actor, who is best known for Call Me By Your Name and Little Women, is set to star in a new adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. Chalamet will step into the iconic role of eccentric and enigmatic cholate factory owner Willy Wonka.

But this has proposed two big debates in the internet-sphere: does the world really need another retelling of this story? And if so, is Chalamet the right person?

To quickly recap: Willy Wonka is the inventor and owner of a wild and mysterious chocolate factory. In a bid to find someone to take over the factory, he invites children who have found a golden ticket in their Wonka chocolate bars to visit the factory. One of the lucky few is lovely, sweet Charlie Bucket, who goes on to inherit Wonka’s business. 

The first screen adaptation back in 1971 starred Gene Wilder in the memorable role. Then, in Tim Burton’s 2005 adaptation, Johnny Depp played Dahl’s classic character.

As reported by Deadline, the new film will focus on a young Willy Wonka and his adventures prior to opening the world’s most famous chocolate factory. It also reveals that Chalamet will perform several musical numbers set to appear in the film. 

While full plot details aren’t yet known, this will be the first time Charlie Bucket will not be featured – it’s all about Wonka.

So, what do fans on the internet have to say about all of this? As you can imagine, people are very, very divided (and it’s pretty entertaining)…

“I don’t want me to see a story about a young Willy Wonka,” tweeted one fan. “I want to see a very old Wonka who let himself go after giving up the factory, and has to get his shit together to kill one last kid.”

Sharing a similar response, another fan concurred: “The darkest way you can recycle [it] isn’t an origin story, it’s making the characters really old. Willy Wonka shuffling around a dusty disused factory, calling out for the oompa loompas who abandoned him decades ago. All the everlasting gobstoppers are finished.”

Someone shared a very funny video of a young guy street dancing to Oompa Loompa, captioning it: “Rare footage from Timothée Chalamet’s new Willy Wonka movie.”

Another Twitter shared their conflicted feelings, writing: “They’re making a Willy Wonka prequel… [vomiting emoji] From the writer/director of both Paddington movies and starring Timothee Chalamet.”

Others are actually totally on-board with the prequel, with this fan admitting: “Timothee Chalamet Willy Wonka prequel will be what finally breaks me.”

And this Twitter user made a rogue but very fair point about the prequels we really want: “Nobody cares about a young Willy Wonka, Hollywood! What we want is the third installment of Charlie’s Angels with Lucy Liu, my girl Drew & Cameron D and Destiny’s Child on the soundtrack!”

Whether people want it or not: the Willy Wonka prequel is happening. And one thing’s for sure: a lot of people are going to want a golden cinema ticket to check it out.

Images: Getty