Netflix’s Willy Wonka Series Slammed Over Gene Wilder AI Voice

The decision to use AI to recreate the late Gene Wilder’s voice for a new Netflix series inspired by his portrayal of Willy Wonka has proved to be a controversial one.

On Tuesday, the streaming platform unveiled the trailer for its new reality series Wonka’s The Golden Ticket, inspired by Roald Dahl’s Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and its 1971 film adaptation.

In The Golden Ticket, players compete in a series of games and challenges in a recreation of the chocolate factory from the classic movie musical.

As was revealed in the teaser, the whole thing will be narrated by an AI rendering of Gene Wilder’s voice, which was met with a mixed reception online.

It should be noted that the AI voice was created by ElevenLabs, who were behind a similar recreation of Judy Garland’s voice last year, in collaboration with the Wilder estate.

The late actor’s widow said in a statement: “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.

“Gene had a remarkable ability to bring humour, 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 honouring the fans who have cherished it for decades.”

However, despite Gene’s wife and family having given the project their blessing, it still didn’t sit well with many that AI was being used to recreate his voice a decade after his death

HuffPost UK has contacted Netflix for comment.

Willy Wonka was first introduced to the world in the 1964 children’s book Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, and also appeared in Roald Dahl’s follow-up Charlie And The Great Glass Elevator eight years later.

As well as Gene Wilder, the eccentric chocolatier has been portrayed on the big screen by Johnny Depp in 2005’s Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Douglas Hodge in a 2013 West End stage play and Timothée Chalamet in 2024’s musical origin story Wonka.