2025 is shaping up to be a huge year for Timothée Chalamet, first with his Oscar nomination for A Complete Unknown, and later with his starring role in Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme. However, the actor’s most exciting upcoming project is the sequel to his 2022 family comedy Wonka. The original film was a huge success that featured one of Chalamet’s most beloved roles to date, and the upcoming sequel is sure to scratch the same itch. In fact, many audiences have drawn comparisons between Wonka and Paddington, claiming that Chalamet’s film has taken the latter’s crown.

The comparison to Paddington is a particularly poignant one, as the recent release of Paddington in Peru has audiences mixed on what the future of this franchise may look like. While Paddington 4 is officially on the way, some more cynical viewers are concerned that it will be unable to live up to the emotional heights of the first two movies. This is certainly a concern, but Timothée Chalamet and the team behind Wonka seem determined to step into any shadow left behind by the Paddington series.

Paddington’s Director Paul King Brought His Magic To Wonka

The Filmmaker Adopted A Very Similar Style

The most obvious connection between Wonka and Paddington is their shared director, Paul King. The British filmmaker has been responsible for some of the most popular and subversive comedy shows of the past few decades, with projects like The Mighty Boosh and Come Fly With Me under his belt. However, the Paddington movies were certainly his most acclaimed works before Wonka, with their bright color palettes and eccentric ensemble coming together to make movies that are perfect for both children and adults alike. He brought this exact same sensibility to Wonka.

King’s Wonka managed to transform an already popular children’s book into something endlessly fresh and creative, with the filmmaker’s signature charm and wit shining through both the script and the visuals. The movie has all the same nostalgia and sentimentality that made Paddington such an enjoyable watch, blending these elements of drama with an unrelenting sense of humor that shines throughout. Paul King is the secret ingredient of the Paddington franchise, and his involvement is felt all over Wonka.

Incidentally, Paul King didn’t return for Paddington in Peru because he was too busy writing and filming Wonka. This is glaringly obvious from the final product of both movies, as Wonka is inexplicably more similar to the first Paddington movies than Paddington in Peru is. The filmmaker essentially brought everything that made his first movies so popular and applied them to Wonka instead, which went down brilliantly with audiences.

Wonka Is Already A Much Bigger Franchise Than Paddington

The Family Prequel Was A Huge Box Office Hit

Despite the immense success of Paddington and its immediate sequel, the franchise has already been overtaken by Wonka. Timothée Chalamet’s family comedy was a smash hit all across the world, bringing in $634.5 million globally (via Box Office Mojo). Perhaps ironically, this is more than both Paddington and Paddington 2’s worldwide intake combined. This simply proves that King made the right decision, prioritizing Wonka over Paddington in Peru (which in turn drew in $164.7 globally).

All of this immense success for Wonka is a surefire sign that King’s movie could become the next Hollywood “big thing”. Timothée Chalamet is more popular than ever following his neck-and-neck Best Actor race at the Oscars, and many audiences view Wonka as his most versatile and charming role in a long time. Dune Messiah will also start filming in 2025, which could end up being another huge project for Chalamet. These factors line up perfectly for the future of Wonka as a long-running franchise, and perhaps Chalamet’s most profitable role of all.

Timothée Chalamet & Paul King Are Returning For A Wonka Sequel

Wonka 2 Could Make This Franchise Truly Special

Thankfully, the news that Paul King and Timothée Chalamet will be returning for Wonka 2 is now official, and the possibilities for this new movie are endless. The first installment was an original story that aimed to delve into the early years of Roald Dahl’s protagonist, but it’s unclear where Wonka 2 will draw its inspiration from. With Chalamet returning in the lead role, there can’t be too much of a time jump between stories, but there are multiple books in Dahl’s series that could be used as an interesting frame of reference.

Many people have called Paddington 2 the best movie of all time (it even held a Rotten Tomatoes record for a while), so it’s clear that Paul King knows what he’s doing with sequels. If he follows a similar format, audiences can expect more of the same with Wonka 2 – but this time, with new characters and even more cartoonish storylines. The first movie really focused on Wonka’s origins, so now there’s plenty of room for wacky subplots without the need for exposition that sometimes holds the original back.

Wonka Has A More Exciting Future Than Paddington At This Point

Paddington In Peru Wasn’t As Successful As Paddington 2

All of these details converge to make Wonka one of the most exciting upcoming franchises of the next few years. Paul King has really settled into his particular style over the past few years, but Wonka is just distinct enough from Paddington to ensure that it doesn’t feel too familiar or repeтιтive. There’s so much that he could do with the sequel, and Chalamet’s obvious dedication to this role means that we’re going to see something truly special with Wonka 2. Conversely, the Paddington franchise doesn’t have the most secure future at the moment.

While Paddington in Peru was an entertaining film in its own right, the general consensus is that it didn’t quite live up to the greatness of the first two movies. It strayed a little too far from expectations for most viewers, taking the characters away from the comfort of their London home and trying something very unexpected. Its ambition is to be admired, but the mixed reception (likely because of King’s absence) isn’t a good sign for any future Paddington sequels. It’s far more likely that Paul King will shift his focus to Wonka, hopefully making it his next franchise.