Gene Wilder’s WILLY WONKA Returns to Screens

Published: July 6, 2026

By Kayla DeKraker

With the help of AI and his family’s blessing, the late Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka will return to host a new reality TV show, WONKA’S THE GOLDEN TICKET.

“More than five decades after Gene brought Willy Wonka to life, people of all ages and backgrounds around the world continue to find joy, laughter and inspiration in his performance,” the actor’s wife, Karen B. Wilder, said on behalf of his estate.

She continued, “Gene had a remarkable ability to bring humor, wonder and heart into people’s lives, and that connection has endured for generations. We are delighted that WONKA’S THE GOLDEN TICKET celebrates the warmth and imagination that he brought to the role, introducing that magic to a new generation while honoring the fans who have cherished it for decades.”

WONKA’S THE GOLDEN TICKET premieres on Sept. 23 on Netflix. Hosted by AI company ElevenLabs’ recreation of Wilder’s voice, the show sees “12 ‘Golden Ticket’ winners and their selected partners enter a version of Wonka‘s Chocolate Factory to compete in a series of games over nine episodes inspired by the film and Roald Dahl’s Charlie & the Chocolate Factory,” Variety said.

Rusty Goffe, who played an Oompa Loompa in the 1971 movie, will also reprise his role during the challenges.

Netflix promised that the competition will push competitors “physically, mentally and morally” as they along with a partner of their choosing step into the Chocolate Factory. Only one of the 12 contestants will “earn Wonka’s life-changing prize in this high-stakes social experiment inspired by one of the most iconic worlds in cinematic history.”

Netflix posted the trailer on Instagram, and people in the comment section expressed a mixture of excitement and disappointment about Wilder’s AI voice.

One person wrote, “Wow i would love to experience this,” while another commented, “They used AI to recreate Gene’s voice for this…So disappointing. Hard pass!”

Although commenters may not know that the family gave permission for the use of Wilder’s voice, the question about the morality surrounding using AI to bring back deceased people is a hot topic.

When AI videos of late comedian Robin Williams began circulating last year, his daughter Zelda Williams sounded off, saying it’s “NOT what he’d want” and calling the videos “gross” and “maddening.”

Would Gene Wilder want his voice replicated, and is family consent enough? This is an important question to navigate in the ever evolving world of AI.

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