Tim Burton Talks On Willy Wonka Remake

[Thursday, December 4th, 2003]
Tim Burton's remake of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is said to surprise fans of the classic. This was kindof expected with Burton, he explains his reasons for taking on the project to Cindy Pearlman of Chicago Sun Times.

"Well, I don't want to crush people's childhood dreams, but the original film is sappy," Burton says. "It's sappy when it shouldn't be sappy and it's weird. Let's just say it's not one of my personal favorites. I'd rate 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' much higher."

Burton says he's wanted to do Willy Wonka for years. "I responded to the children's book [Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory] because it respected that children can be adults, and I think adults forget that. There can be darkness and sort of foreboding. Very sinister things are very much a part of childhood. I like that sort of humor and emotion put together."

Burton has cast his pal Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka. "I just like working with him. He's always surprising and fun," said Burton on Depp.

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