Charlie & The Chocolate Factory could possibly be getting a makeover with a black lead and Ava DuVernay is here for it. More about the possible reboot plus updates on the Night School film inside…
There’s talk that a Charlie & The Chocolate Factory reboot could possibly be in the works. And if it happens, fab directress Ava DuVernay would be on board.
So, there's this: Did you know that the original Charlie & The Chocolate Factory (1954) book was supposed to star a BLACK lead character? It never happened because the book’s author Roald Dahl was dissuaded by his agent to make him white. Go figure.
During an interview with BBC Radio, Roald’s widow Liccy Dahl revealed,“His first Charlie that he wrote about was a little black boy."
Dahl’s biographer Donald Sturrock chimed in and said, "It was his agent who thought it was a bad idea, when the book was first published, to have a black hero. She said, ‘People would ask why.’”
As they celebrated Roald’s 101st birthday, Liccy said it would be “wonderful” to see her husband’s original vision come to life. And she’s not the only one.
Once the Wrinkle In Time director caught wind of the news, she tweeted in agreement:
*raises hand for movie adaptation* https://t.co/mhIHybhl2W
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) September 14, 2017
She's not the only one who's down the remake. A fan responded to Ava's tweet asking, if Tituss Burgess could play Willy Wonka. The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt star responded:
Ummmmm oh the fun I would have!
— Tituss Burgess (@TitussBurgess) September 14, 2017
Are you here for a black Charlie?
In other movie news....
Yvonne Orji is gearing up to make her feature film debut.
The “Insecure” star will joinKevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish in the upcoming adult comedy, Night School.
The film will follow a group of misfits who are forced to attend adult classes in the long-shot chance they’ll pass the GED exam. "24" alumna Mary Lynn Rajskub has also joined the cast.
Kev’s Hartbeat Productions is behind the project in collaboration with Will Packer Productions. Not only that, Kevin wrote the script for the Universal film alongside Harry Ratchford, Joey Wells, Matt Kellard and Nick Stoller.
Will Packer and Malcolm D. Lee are set to produce and Malcolm will helm the film.
We're keeping our fingers crossed this comedy kills it like Girls Trip!
Night School hits theaters September 28, 2018.
Photo: Getty
