“Willy Wonka Pop-Up Event in Glasgow Inspires Horror Movie Adaptation”
In early March 2024, a pop-up event in Glasgow, Scotland, took a dark turn, captivating the internet and now inspiring a horror movie adaptation. The event, known as the “Willy Wonka Experience,” quickly gained infamy after an AI-generated advertisement misled attendees. Rather than the magical and whimsical experience they were promised, ticket holders found themselves in a sparsely decorated warehouse with performers dressed in lackluster “Wonka” attire. The disappointment was palpable, and the event was soon dubbed the Fyre Festival of 2024.
Tickets for the ill-fated experience cost £35 (around $44 USD) per person, prompting many attendees to demand refunds and even involve the police. The event was swiftly shut down within a day of its opening, leaving behind a trail of disgruntled participants.
However, amidst the chaos and disappointment emerged a breakout character known as The Unknown. This enigmatic figure has now become the basis for an upcoming indie horror film. Kaledonia Pictures, the production company behind the movie, plans to release it in late 2024, according to Bloody Disgusting.
The film revolves around a renowned illustrator and his wife who are haunted by the tragic death of their son, Charlie. Seeking solace, the couple retreats to the remote Scottish Highlands, unaware of the malevolent force awaiting them. The movie promises to delve into themes of grief and the supernatural, offering audiences a spine-chilling experience.
A representative from Kaledonia Pictures expressed their excitement about the upcoming production and acknowledged the surreal nature of being only a few miles away from the infamous event that inspired it. As Glasgow became a viral sensation worldwide, the connection between reality and fiction blurred.
Interestingly, The Unknown is not a character from Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” novel or any of its film adaptations. Instead, it owes its existence to AI-generated content. The script provided for the “Willy Wonka Experience” was described by actor Paul Connell as “15 pages of AI-generated gibberish,” introducing The Unknown as an evil chocolate maker residing within the walls. The actress who portrayed The Unknown later shared her side of the story on TikTok, shedding light on the chaotic nature of the event.
Fortunately, there are no copyright issues with Warner Bros., the company behind the original “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” film adaptations, as The Unknown is not a character from their intellectual property. Warner Bros. has yet to comment on the Glasgow disaster, which drew heavily from their IP. It is worth noting that their recent release, “Wonka,” starring Timothée Chalamet, hit theaters in December 2023.
The trend of giving beloved intellectual properties an indie horror twist has seen success in the past. “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey,” a previous adaptation that added a dark twist to the classic children’s character, spawned its own cinematic universe. Jagged Edge Productions, the production company behind the film, has already released a sequel and announced an upcoming Peter Pan movie.
As audiences eagerly await the release of the horror film inspired by the disastrous “Willy Wonka Experience,” it remains to be seen whether it will capture the same intrigue and fascination that surrounded the ill-fated event. With its remote Scottish Highlands setting and a tale of grief and unknown evil, this upcoming indie horror promises to deliver a chilling experience that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats.