A Wonka 2 report says it's "delayed indefinitely." Warner Bros. denies it.
A screenwriter said the Wonka sequel is “delayed indefinitely” while Timothée Chalamet weighs his next move, per Variety. Warner Bros. quickly called the reports “entirely false,” saying the team is “hard at work.” Here’s what’s actually known.
A Wonka sequel just got called “delayed indefinitely” by one of its own writers, and Warner Bros. shot the report down within hours. So which is it?
Screenwriter Simon Farnaby, who co-wrote the first film with director Paul King, told Variety that Wonka 2, a sequel King has been trying to make since 2024 with a completed script, is on indefinite hold. In his words, “delayed indefinitely.”
Then came the denial. A Warner Bros. spokesperson: “Reports suggesting a Wonka 2 delay are entirely false. The Wonka creative team is hard at work on the next chapter.” Two on-record sources, opposite stories.
What the report actually claimed
Farnaby’s version has a specific cause, and it’s not a lack of interest.
According to him, the sequel’s biggest hurdle is star Timothée Chalamet, who reportedly wants to return but hasn’t decided when, or what he wants to do next. Fresh off two Oscar nominations for A Complete Unknown and Marty Supreme, Chalamet is being choosier about his roles after establishing himself as a serious dramatic actor.
The original plan was to start production this year. Farnaby’s account is that Chalamet hasn’t committed, and whatever he does next, it won’t be Wonka 2, hence “delayed indefinitely.”
What Warner Bros. is saying
The studio’s denial was fast and flat, which is itself worth noting.
Warner Bros. didn’t soften it or add nuance. It called the reports “entirely false” and asserted the creative team is actively working on the next chapter. That’s a stronger denial than the usual “we don’t comment on rumors,” which suggests the studio genuinely disputes the premise, not just the framing.
Both things can be technically true, which is often how these standoffs resolve. A script can be finished and a team can be “hard at work” while the actual production is stalled waiting on a star’s decision. “Delayed indefinitely” and “hard at work on the next chapter” aren’t necessarily contradictory, they’re the pessimistic and optimistic descriptions of the same waiting game.
Why the movie matters enough to fight over
The stakes explain why Warner Bros. pushed back so hard.
The first Wonka, a prequel to Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, was a big hit, over $632 million worldwide on a roughly $125 million budget, with Chalamet in the title role and a cast including Hugh Grant as an Oompa-Loompa.
It was a genuine crowd-pleaser, the kind of family-franchise win Warner Bros. does not want reported as stalled, especially while it’s in the middle of a contested merger and needs its slate to look healthy.
So here’s the honest state of it: one of the film’s writers says it’s indefinitely delayed over Chalamet’s availability, the studio says that’s false and the team is working, and both statements can coexist if the truth is “waiting on the star.” What nobody disputes is that Wonka 2 has a script and doesn’t yet have a start date. Whether that’s a delay or just development depends on who you ask, and this week, the two people you’d ask gave opposite answers.
Article compiled and edited by Derek Gibbs (entertainment editor) and the Clownfish TV newsroom.
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Hat Tips:
Variety via World of Reel (August 7, 2026), verified for Simon Farnaby’s “delayed indefinitely” comment, the Chalamet-availability explanation, the completed script, the since-2024 development, and Paul King’s involvement
Warner Bros. spokesperson statement via World of Reel (August 7, 2026), verified for the studio’s “entirely false” denial and the “hard at work on the next chapter” characterization
World of Reel, Jordan Ruimy (August 7, 2026), verified for the report and denial, Chalamet’s two Oscar nominations, the $632 million box office, the ~$125 million budget, the 82% Rotten Tomatoes score, and the December 2023 release