It could soon be Oompa Loompa time for Johnny Depp.
 

It could soon be Oompa Loompa time for Johnny Depp.

Currently sailing the seas as Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl's Captain Jack Sparrow, the thespian may be foregoing the rum for some everlasting gobstoppers--he's the frontrunner to play Willy Wonka in director Tim Burton's update of Roald Dahl's classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, sources confirmed Wednesday.

Earlier reports initially had Warner Bros. and the helmer eyeing Christopher Walken and Michael Keaton as everyone's favorite Candy Man.

But Burton and Warners sweetened on Depp following the blockbuster success of Pirates of the Carribbean, according to Daily Variety. That swashbuckling adventure has grossed over $200 million worldwide and already has a sequel in the works.

If Burton punches Depp's golden ticket, it would mark the versatile actor's fourth starring role for the director: Depp cut up the screen as the title character in 1990's Edward Scissorhands, played the legendary cross-dressing, angora-obsessed B-moviemaker in 1994's Ed Wood and kept his head as Ichibod Crane in 1999's Sleepy Hollow.

Depp also has bona fides as a candy lover, having showed off his sweet tooth in the 2000 Miramax confection, Chocolat.

Warners has long wanted to redo the twisted kiddie story, but Dahl was never a big fan of the 1971 adaptation, titled Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and starring Gene Wilder, which the author thought was half-baked (even though it's now considered a cult classic). Since his death, Dahl's estate has been hesitant to green-light another movie version.

Enter Burton, whose r?sum? includes such darkly stylish morsels as Batman and The Nightmare Before Christmas, as well as manic comic gems like Pee-wee's Big Adventure and Beetlejuice, all of which share Dahl's off-kilter sensibilities. Burton also produced the 1996 animated version of Dahl's James and the Giant Peach. With Burton on board, the family signed off on the remake.

Warners believes a new Chocolate Factory will not only generate big business at the box office, but also lead to a windfall in the ancillary department, including DVD and game sales, merchandising and maybe even a stage musical ? la Disney's The Lion King.

Wonka is being produced by Brad Grey, Michael Siegel (who reps the Dahl estate) and Hollywood power couple Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. The studio has tapped scribe Pamela Pettler to write the latest version.

If all goes well, expect to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Oompa Loompa its way into theaters sometime in 2005.

Charlie and The Chocolate Factory is a great book and a classic movie. I personally don't think they should be making a remake because I have this suspiscion that it's going to be CRAP.

And Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka. I don't think so! Yes, he is odd, but he's not the right type of odd to pay Willy Wonka.

Is Hollywood already out of ideas that it has to start remaking movies?

I love every movie he's been in...especially Powder. I too don't see him as the lead, but dang he is so amazing I wouldn't say count him out.

WHY oh WHY do they take a great classic and remake it before it has lost it's edge. It's not exactly the type of movie that ages like
those centered around tech or have cars dating to the 60s or 70's. Gene Wilder is a MASTER of that role. It's kind of like music.
Why does everyone want to remix/make a classic song?

Lady Pi Phi-Is Hollywood already out of ideas that it has to start remaking movies?

edited to add-I'll FAINT if they ever touch Wizard of OZ!

i've read that roald dahl(the author of charlie & the chocolate factory) absolutely hated and was ashamed of the original version of the film..

I don't know about this. Even though the original film seems cheesy now, many of us grew up on it so we really don't care...It's classic. I don't know that even Johnny Depp could make this a good idea.

The original movie is a classic. And, I must add, it's my favorite movie of all time! No remaking it! Movie remakes hardly ever are as good as the original. Look at what happened with the remake of "The Time Machine". It bombed!

I've never been a Johnny Depp fan, so I must admit that's one of my reasons for not wanting to see him play this role, although I thought he was excellent in Pirates of The Carribean.

I'm assuming he thought it was too weird? Well, if that's the case, he's going to be spinning 55mph once Tim Burton gets his hands on it.

Yep... it's the current trend nowadays. I'll stick to watching James Bond films; the actors may change but the formula's stayed pretty much the same for over 40 years! :)

James Bond Rules!!!!!!:D

Fawkin-A! If it's the original "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" this movie is going to ROCK. Maybe even as much as the original.

I don't like the look of it.

Part of the reason I love the movie is that it's steeped in all of this 1970s cheesiness. A 2005 version will be all high-tech and digified. No fun!

i think it was because it wasn't quite the vision he had for his work..it was too cartoonish..he didn't like the fact that it was a musical..

I alwasy enjoyed Tim Burton's workd, minus Planes of the Apes, so I'll be very interested in this movie. It'll definately be a weird one, and I think Christopher Walken would be great as the grand father. Though the movie would just be too evil and creepy.

I love Tim Burton; Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my alltime favorite movies.

I think Johnny Depp is a really underrated actor who could really do justice to Willy Wonka.

I'd definitely go see a remake!