Given his roles in the epic The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Frank Miller's Sin City, Elijah Wood knows a thing or two about what makes a good on-screen adaptation. So, when asked what film he'd nominate to be blinked out of existence, he chose Tim Burton's questionable take on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from 2005.
He made the suggestion during a round of Movie Fights, a panel show from Screen Junkies where personalities debate topics based on the silver screen, in 2017. In his mind, Burton's version of the children’s story "destroyed the book and destroyed the original film," referencing the 1971 movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, a widely beloved comedy-musical featuring Gene Wilder.
"The version of Willy Wonka in Tim Burton’s film is heinous, and terrifying," Wood states. "There’s nothing pure or beautiful about it."
He concedes that the production was at least a "bold move," and that Burton "very much took it in his own direction." The former Frodo Baggins actor isn't an outlier for his negative views.
Although Charlie and the Chocolate Factory did well critically, holding a rock solid 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, the audience score tells a different story, languishing at 51%. The film, featuring Johnny Depp as the eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka, took a slightly different approach to the 1971 interpretation by making Willy less charming and more standoffish.
There’s more about his background as well, wherein it’s revealed his father was strictly against candy of any kind, leading to an irreconcilable division. A bit of a contrast to hearing Wilder sing 'Pure Imagination'.
A third big budget adaptation of the book, Wonka, came out in 2023, starring Timothée Chalamet as the eponymous chocolate salesman. It reviewed very well, sitting at 82% on Rotten Tomatoes, and commercially, bringing in over $600 million at the box office globally.
No word on where Elijah stands on that film just yet, but we'll be keeping our eyes peeled. Check out our list of the best fantasy movies on Netflix for more whimsy, and our upcoming movies guide will keep you informed on any other noteworthy releases coming our way.
