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Wonka co-writer Simon Farnaby provides update on development of Timothée Chalamet sequel film
The Ghosts co-creator has once again scripted the follow-up alongside director Paul King.
Courtesy Warner Bros Pictures
- Patrick Cremona
Published: Sunday, 9 August 2026 at 12:31 pm
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Wonka co-writer Simon Farnaby has confirmed that a sequel to the hit 2023 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory origin story is still happening – and claimed that previous comments he'd made had been taken out of context by some fans.
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The Ghosts star and co-creator had told Variety last week that the project was "delayed indefinitely" due to the fact that star Timothée Chalamet was "not sure about timing or what he wants to do next."
This led some people to speculate that the project – which was previously announced by director Paul King in 2024 – would not be happening after all.
But Farnaby has now reassured fans that this isn't the case, clarifying that "everyone is is working really hard" and that "WB are committed."
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Writing on X, he explained: "Just wanted to clear up some rumours about Wonka 2 after my Variety interview. My quotes were taken little out of context by some people. I 100% did not say Wonka 2 wasn’t happening. A sequel was always the plan."
He added that he and King had already written a "great script" and that it was simply a matter of finding the right time to move ahead with production.
"Timmy wants to do it (like I said!) it’s just about working out schedules and making sure it’s as fantastic as we know it can be – and these things take a little time," he said. "Very sorry for any confusion!"
The first film became a huge box office success when it was released in December 2023, making more than $600 million worldwide and attracting mostly positive reviews from critics (including a 4-star write-up from Radio Times.)
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Chalamet starred as the iconic chocolatier created by Roald Dahl, with the film following a young – and poor – version of the character before he became the legendary character from the classic books and movie adaptations.
The all-star cast also included major roles for the likes of Keegan-Michael Key, Mathew Baynton, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson and Olivia Colman, whle Hugh Grant memorably starred as an Oompa Loompa.
Next up for Farnaby is the feature length sequel to Ghosts, the beloved BBC One sitcom he created (and starred in) alongside Baynton, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond.
The film is titled Ghosts: The Possession of Button House and will be released on 23 October, with plot details having been kept under wraps thus far.
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Authors
Patrick CremonaSenior Film Writer
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
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