From his collaborations with Mel Brooks to his starring role in 1971’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Gene Wilder was never less than a singular presence on screen, thanks to his dry wit and intense yet warm energy. So it’s understandable that in creating a new game show entitled Wonka’s The Golden Ticket, Netflix might have struggled to come up with the right person to host said game show. “Recreating” Wilder, though, doesn’t feel like the right move. It in fact feels gross as hell.
According to the official press release, Wonka’s The Golden Ticket will work like this:
Twelve lucky Golden Ticket winners, each with a partner of their choosing, will step through the gates of Wonka’s Chocolate Factory and into a world of pure imagination, delicious mischief, and unexpected challenges. Once inside, contestants must navigate a series of Wonka’s games, tests, and temptations designed to challenge them physically, mentally, and morally. In this high-stakes social experiment, players will journey through the factory’s wondrous and unpredictable landscape, adapting, strategizing, and withstanding the unknown while proving they have the instincts, resilience, and character to thrive in chaos. In the end, only one contestant will have what it takes to earn Wonka’s life-changing prize.
Fine, sure. It’s a mash-up of various reality competition shows, probably featuring a bunch of chocolate puns. However, the press release adds, “Adding to the nostalgia, Wonka’s The Golden Ticket will feature the recreated voice of Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, honoring the legendary performance that has enchanted generations of audiences.”
The recreation featured in the new trailer does sound reasonably like Wilder. That doesn’t make it any easier to listen to his zombie voice hard-sell the wonder and excitement of Netflix’s crass bid to exploit IP that they spent, per the Financial Times, over $680 million to acquire in 2021.
Seriously, there’s no reason to play around with digital corpses like this. No one watching at home will be confused as to why Gene Wilder isn’t an active presence in a Willy Wonka game show; he’s got a very good excuse for passing on the opportunity. Just get a human to do it. A living one. Literally anyone. A man, a woman, an Oompa Loompa… Hell, put James Corden in a velvet top hat. I’d actually rather watch that.
Speaking of Oompa Loompas, there is a living and breathing Oompa Loompa in the project: Actor Rusty Goffe, who was featured in the 1971 film, will be involved with the show (though he’s not featured in this trailer, and who knows what his role will actually be).
Wilder passed away in 2016, following a lengthy retirement from acting spent writing books — while alive, he never delved into hosting, beyond a stint as a guest programmer for TCM in 2014 and an appearance on Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? in 1992. (I very much would like to find a clip of the latter, if anyone out there has any suggestions.) As a comedian, even in his most unhinged moments, he always carried himself with dignity. This is not that.
For the record, the Wilder estate is on board with this project; Karen B. Wilder, Gene Wilder’s wife, said in a statement that:
“More than five decades after Gene brought Willy Wonka to life, people of all ages and backgrounds around the world continue to find joy, laughter and inspiration in his performance. Gene had a remarkable ability to bring humor, wonder and heart into people’s lives, and that connection has endured for generations. We are delighted that Wonka’s The Golden Ticket celebrates the warmth and imagination that he brought to the role, introducing that magic to a new generation while honoring the fans who have cherished it for decades.”
With respect, another way this new generation could appreciate the magic of Gene Wilder is by watching the original movie; it’s certainly a better way to celebrate him than listening to his disembodied voice play Jeff Probst. Willy Wonka happens to be streaming on HBO Max right now, for what it’s worth. (Bet that rankles Netflix a bit.)
Wonka’s The Golden Ticket premieres September 23rd on Netflix, with a two-part finale on September 30th. You can watch the trailer below.
