Horror movies have definitely become more of a hustle in recent years, as the string of cheaply made films based on characters that have just dropped in the public domain can attest to. This has to be the most unlikely one of its kind, though: a horror movie based on the viral Willy Wonka experience.
You don’t need me to recap what that was all about. The unholy love child of Wonka and Fyre Festival — complete with AI writing and art, three jelly beans per customer, and an Oompa-Loompa who looked more like an extra from Breaking Bad — the “immersive” and “dream-like” Glasgow event captured hearts and minds around the world for its impure imagination. One of its most fascinating elements was the inclusion of the Unknown, a character certainly not found in the typical Roald Dahl lore who seemed to have wandered straight out of our nightmares.
So of course that same character is now getting their own horror movie at top-speed. Here’s everything you need to know about The Unknown.
What is The Unknown about?
First of all, no, The Unknown is not taking the simple route of being a scary take on the classic Chocolate Factory story. In a much smarter way of avoiding a Warner Bros. copyright suit than the original experience, The Unknown is simply taking the loose concept of the Unknown from the event and is building what sounds like — dare I say it — it could actually be a decent horror-thriller around it.
According to the official synopsis, The Unknown “follows a renowned illustrator and his wife who are haunted by the tragic death of their son, Charlie. Desperate to escape their grief, the couple leave the world behind for the remote Scottish Highlands — where an unknowable evil awaits them.”
In Willy’s Chocolate Experience, the Unknown was depicted by a woman dressed in a silver mask and black cloak. In the lore devised for the show by event organizer Billy Coull, the Unknown was “an evil chocolate maker who lives in the walls.” The film seems to be taking things in more of a Badadook direction, however, although the use of the name Charlie suggests some Wonka Easter eggs and connections may be present.
Who’s making The Unknown?
With Willy’s Chocolate Experience taking place in Glasgow, it only makes sense that The Unknown be based in Scotland too. As the above synopsis confirms, filming will take place in the Scottish Highlands and the brains behind the most unlikely horror movie since the Steamboat Willie slasher are the people at Kaledonia Pictures.
“We are excited to begin production and look forward to sharing more with you as soon as possible,” said Kaledonia, a newborn Scottish-based production company, in a statement to Bloody Disgusting. “We are actually only a few miles from the event, so it is quite surreal to see Glasgow all over social media, worldwide.”
To date, no specific cast and crew have been announced, but there’s certainly one major Scottish star who has thrown their name into the ring for a project just like this one. On Feb. 29, Marvel star Karen Gillan tweeted about the experience and announced that she was desperate to be in “a movie based on this story,” shouting “PLEASE CAST ME IN THIS.”
Just five days later, on March 4, The Unknown was announced to be happening. Coincidence? Well, maybe, but given Gillan’s passion for this, um, intellectual property and the fact production is taking place in her native country, we’d love to imagine that the Guardians of the Galaxy actress — and noted horror fan — could be involved in the film in some way. But given that this movie will probably be made for mere pennies, we probably shouldn’t bank on it.
When could The Unknown release?
As is common for low-budget horror films, The Unknown is heading into production super-fast so that it can release with equal speed. In the press release to announce the movie’s existence, Kaledonia confirmed that The Unknown is “gearing up for production” immediately so that it can be out in time for a “late 2024 release.” So get ready for the silver mask of the Unknown to re-emerge from the walls to steal your chocolate — or, I don’t know, probably your soul or something — in the final months of the year. Wonka who?