Initial Reactions for 'Wonka' Praise Timothée Chalamet as "Infinitely Charming" and the Film "Shockingly Good"

The initial reactions for Timothée Chalamet‘s highly anticipated Wonka are officially here. The prequel to the famous Charlie and the Charlie Factory has received its first round of critics. The film seems to have garnered and overwhelmingly positive review from most, winning over critics from all over.

Directed by Paul King, the cast sees Chalamet star as the famous chocolatier. The film is set years before Wonka opened his world-renowned chocolate factory and follows the young man as he opens his first shop. The film also sees Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Matt Lucas, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Olivia Colman and Hugh Grant cast alongside Chalamet.

Critics like Courtney Howard were taken by surprise, calling Wonka “a winning confection” and describing it as a film “with perfect amounts of charm, whimsy & poignancy, powered by pure imagination & bright, nimble musical numbers. Timothée Chalamet is a charisma factory. His full committal is intoxicating. Hugh Grant in exceptional IDGAF mode.” Others agreed that Chalamet’s charm was infectious and that the film was filled with joy, making it a great to-be holiday classic. The film is expected to make $35 million to $40 million USD at the pre-Christmas box office. Wonka opens worldwide on December 15.

While Paul King's #Wonka doesn't quite reach the charming and beguiling heights of the Paddington movies, it is still a delightfully sweet treat. Timothée Chalamet's titular dandy is endearing and fun while Hugh Grant's Oompa-Loompa steals every scene he is in. #WonkaMovie pic.twitter.com/SRMSFcJ0Gy

— Simon Thompson (@ShowbizSimon) November 28, 2023

#Wonka took me by surprise with how much I liked it. It's whimsical and taps into that sense of wonder we got from the original while doing its own thing. Timothée Chalamet channels the energy of Gene without doing an impression. Great family film for the holidays. #WonkaMovie pic.twitter.com/qJKHYwnPMH

— Kaitlyn Booth (@katiesmovies) November 28, 2023

#Wonka cements Timothee Chalamet as one of the greatest up and coming actors. He's magnetic, delightful & beautifully walks the line between naivete & cleverness. The film is filled with charm, joy & hope. It's a perfect holiday film. It definitely has the rewatchability factor😍 pic.twitter.com/lldKjVOphm

— Rosa Parra (@rosasreviews) November 28, 2023

#Wonka is SHOCKINGLY good 😍🍭🍫

Paul King delivers a movie along the lines of#Paddington for adults

turning Wonka into a male #MaryPoppins!

The movie manages to be its own thing
and is as fun as seeing a live Broadway show!

Definitely this year's big holiday movie! pic.twitter.com/ezj0MaLKgo

— Grace Randolph (@GraceRandolph) November 28, 2023

#Wonka/ #WonkaMovie is a winning confection, filled with perfect amounts of charm, whimsy & poignancy, powered by pure imagination & bright, nimble musical numbers. Timothée Chalamet is a charisma factory. His full committal is intoxicating. Hugh Grant in exceptional IDGAF mode. pic.twitter.com/vjKJqqY6ll

— Courtney Howard (@Lulamaybelle) November 28, 2023

Timothée Chalamet is reason alone to see #WonkaMovie. He’s infinitely charming & a blast to watch.

The movie around him isn’t as good but it’s enjoyable. The story & tone fight against each other leaving it a bit muddled. And yet it's filled with joy & the songs are delightful. pic.twitter.com/s1zlqtzIgv

— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) November 28, 2023

#wonka is an instant holiday classic & a truly magical time at the movies 🥰 paul king’s whimsical style works as well here as it did in paddington, every musical number enchants, & the entire ensemble takes turns stealing the show, led by an endlessly charming timothée chalamet. pic.twitter.com/O887KYp4CY

— Zoë Rose Bryant (@ZoeRoseBryant) November 28, 2023

#WonkaMovie is unabashedly silly, and a perfectly charming family film. Wonka’s world is brilliantly designed, capturing the wonder of his early years.

Embracing a quirky, heartwarming tone, Wonka is funny and sweet enough to overcome any minor bumps in the road. pic.twitter.com/WPCxA2r1A9

— Daniel Howat (@howatdk) November 28, 2023

#Wonka is a super charming delight powered by an exceptional & pitch-perfect performance from Timothée Chalamet. It can get quite silly and there’s a few plot points that are a tad on the thin side, but that couldn’t stop such an impossibly sweet film with a hefty & very… pic.twitter.com/1SLMmRPSGY

— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) November 28, 2023

Wonka good. Paul King king.

— david ehrlich (@davidehrlich) November 28, 2023

#Wonka is visually delightful. Shout out to Nathan Crowley, his world building is fantastical in every way. pic.twitter.com/JESCGvC4zS

— Jazz Tangcay (@jazzt) November 28, 2023