Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are currently on top of the headlines due to their ongoing trial where Depp has filed a defamation suit against his former wife for allegedly falsifying claims and evidence of domestic abuse. While the trial has been going on for days, it has caught the attention of the general public who have been following it closely.
While Johnny Depp is seen making the jury laugh with his presence of mind and enjoying flowers being thrown at him by supportive fans outside the court, one of his biggest films has also begun soaring charts on Netflix.
Released in 2005, the adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was directed by Tim Burton and had a talented ensemble cast, including Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. 2005 was indeed a busy for this acting duo and Burton himself, as they were shooting Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Corpse Bride simultaneously.
The film chronicles the adventures of the titular Charlie who lives in abject poverty with his family. When he hits the jackpot by winning one of the five most-coveted golden tickets, he travels to a chocolate factory with his grandfather, joining four other lucky kids.
The chocolate factory is owned by the eccentric and mysterious chocolatier Willy Wonka who governs the factory with various Oompa Loompas while dealing with various flashbacks of his traumatic childhood.
As the film progresses, each child gets eliminated with a certain flaw while Charlie prevails and gets a closer look into Wonka’s troubled past and his intentions.
Starring David Kelly as the grandpa, Freddie Highmore as Charlie and Christopher Lee as Wonka’s father among others, Depp donned the idiosyncratic role of Wonka. Depp had signed on for the role of Wonka without being familiar with the script as he wanted to add ingenuity to the character. Although Depp was allergic to chocolate as a child, he gradually grew comfortable with it as they continued shooting.
He based the iconic Roald Dahl character on the version of a stoned Geroge W Bush and even wore fake teeth to make himself appear outlandish. He was way more dramatic than the 1970 film starring Gene Wilder as Wonka, which invited divisive reception from critics.
While Wilder was not very comfortable with the idea of a remake, calling it a money-mongering scheme, the film turned out to be fairly successful for Depp.
Currently, as a part of Netflix’s recent acquisition of Roald Dahl’s works, a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory animated series is being developed by Taika Watiti and Phil Johnson, emphasising the timelessness of Dahl’s work.
