Disney's 'Prince Charming' Movie Taps 'Wonka' Director for Exciting New Vision

Director Paul King, known for his successful work on the ‘Paddington’ films and the 2023 ‘Willy Wonka’ origin story, is teaming up with Disney to breathe new life into a classic character. According to Deadline, King has signed on to direct a fresh take on ‘Prince Charming’. While specifics about the film are still under wraps, this project seems like a natural fit for the director’s talents.

Details about the plot are currently scarce, and it remains uncertain whether ‘Prince Charming’ will be a live-action or animated feature. Given Disney's recent trend toward live-action adaptations, especially with a live-action ‘Snow White’ set to release next year, it seems likely that this will follow a similar path.

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 Additionally, it's unclear which version of Prince Charming’s story will be explored, as he has appeared in various classic Disney films, including ‘Cinderella’, ‘Sleeping Beauty’, and ‘Snow White’. Traditionally, the character falls in love with the film's heroine, but the specifics are yet to be revealed.

What we do know is that the screenplay for ‘Prince Charming’ will be co-written by Simon Barnaby and Jon Croker, alongside King. Barnaby and King have a strong collaborative history, having worked together on King’s major projects, including the screenplay for ‘Wonka’ and ‘Paddington 2’, as well as contributing story elements to the upcoming ‘Paddington in Peru’.

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Taking on a film like ‘Prince Charming’ seems to align perfectly with King’s expertise in directing large-scale, fantastical movies. He first gained recognition with ‘Paddington’ in 2014, which showcased the adventures of the beloved marmalade-loving bear and was a critical success, leading to the acclaimed sequel, ‘Paddington 2’. 

For the third installment, ‘Paddington in Peru’, King will step back from directing but will remain involved as an executive producer, with a fourth film also reportedly in development.

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King really rose to fame with his work on ‘Wonka’, which tells the origin story of the iconic candy maker and featured Timothée Chalamet in the lead role. Initially expected to perform moderately, ‘Wonka’ turned out to be one of 2023's biggest hits, grossing $634 million globally against a $125 million budget. 

The film finished its theatrical run as the eighth highest-grossing film of the year, earning accolades for both King's direction and Chalamet's performance. As of now, no release date has been announced for ‘Prince Charming’.

–Farheen Ali