Wonka is an origin story that gives its audience a look into the life of the titular character. Now that the movie is out in theaters, viewers are surprised to find that Mathew Baynton is in Wonka. But what role does he play in the movie?
Mathew Baynton in Wonka: Who Does the Actor Play?
Weeks before the film's release, there wasn't much information available about the film. So just a few days before the film came out, the full list of actors and cameos was released.
One of the actors who was recently revealed to be part of Wonka is Mathew Baynton. He plays Mr. Fickelgruber, a minor antagonist in the film.
Baynton's role is Willy Wonka's rival candymaker who is said to have stolen the lead character's recipe for a never-melting ice cream.
Is Fickelgruber a New Character in the Wonka Franchise?
Although the role of Mathew Baynton in Wonka is a minor one, Fickelgruber has been part of the novel and the film franchise. In the 2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory film, the character was played by Tony Kirkwood.
Meanwhile, his character is only mentioned in passing in the 1971 film, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. This was about the character found in the source material, Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory novel.
In both the original movie and novel, Fickelgruber was mentioned by Grandpa Joe. Charlie's grandpa talked about Mr. Fickelgruber, Mr. Prodnose, and Mr. Slugworth, who were Mr. Wonka's rivals in the chocolate-making business.
As it turns out, the three men sent spies to Wonka's factory to steal his secret recipes. Grandpa Joe shares that they did this because they "had begun to grow jealous of the wonderful sweets that Mr. Wonka was making."
This led to Wonka's decision to shut down his factory for a short time. When he came across the Oompa-Loompas, he re-opened his factory since they kept his secrets.
In the first movie, Wonka grows suspicious of people eager to go inside his factory. This is why he first suspected Charlie of working with a spy, as what the other kids intended to do.
Who is Mathew Baynton?
Mathew Baynton is an English comedian, who is best known for starring in Ghosts, Horrible Histories, and Yonderland. He wrote the script for these stories.
He is also credited as a co-creator of The Wrong Mans, which he also starred in.
It's interesting how Baynton will portray the character in the 2023 adaptation of Wonka. Catch Wonka in theaters starting December 15, 2023.
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