Summary

  • Wonka has chosen not to showcase Timothée Chalamet's singing voice in trailers despite the actor's praised performance and musical talents.
  • Chalamet does sing in the film, as confirmed by director Paul King, who described his singing voice as "beautiful" and comparable to Bing Crosby.
  • The decision to hide Chalamet's singing in the trailers may be due to the film not being a full-on musical, with the focus on the storyline instead. This strategy also builds anticipation for audiences.

Expected to be one of the biggest movies of the 2023 holiday season, Wonka has made the interesting decision not to include Timothée Chalamet's singing voice in any of its currently released trailers. Chalamet stars as a young version of the eccentric Willy Wonka, a character moviegoers were first introduced to in the 1971 film, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Wonka gives viewers another look at the nostalgic character but through a fresh lens, as the story focuses on how he meets the Oompa-Loompas and begins his candy empire.

One of the most exciting elements of Wonka is how it weaves music into its narrative. Viewers will have the opportunity to see Chalamet in a new light, as he will be singing throughout the film. Chalamet's performance has already gotten praise from his costars and the Wonka crew. That's why it's puzzling that his singing talents aren't shown off in the Wonka trailers.

Timothée Chalamet Does Sing In Wonka, Just Not In The Trailers

Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka holding his hat in Wonka

Although it's not evident from Wonka's early trailers, Chalamet does sing in the film. In an interview with the Rolling Stone, Wonka director Paul King confirmed that Chalamet's singing skills were part of what landed him the lead role in the first place. He explained that Chalamet's high school musical performances can be found on YouTube and have hundreds of thousands of views, proving he's no stranger to singing and dancing.

King also told Total Film that Chalamet's singing voice is "beautiful" and reminds him of Bing Crosby. With Chalamet's singing voice getting such high praise and being featured in the movie, it is surprising that it was not shown off in the trailers.

Why Wonka Is Hiding Timothée Chalamet's Singing Despite High Praise

Timothee Chalamet as Willy Wonka throwing candy into the air in Wonka

While the reason Chalamet's singing is not featured in the trailers has not been confirmed, one of King's comments may point to the answer. He shared that Wonka is not a full-on musical. It has songs weaved throughout, but he didn't want it to be a musical where characters are singing dialogue to one another. As such, King may have wanted to focus on the storyline of the movie to reel audiences in and not position it as a musical. The only song that is shown in the trailer is a quick snippet of an Oompa-Loompa singing a song that was made famous by the original 1971 film.

This is enough to show viewers that there will be music in the film while not allowing the trailer to be taken over by its musical elements. Holding off on Chalamet's singing may also be a strategic move, as it builds anticipation for the movie. After all the praise he's gotten, excitement is already high. Moviegoers will likely head to theaters just to see if he lives up to the hype. Needless to say, Chalamet's singing skills will be shown off when Wonka is released, even if they aren't evident from the trailers for the film.

Sources: Rolling Stone, Total Film