Netflix has launched a new reality TV series titled 'Wonka's The Golden Ticket', which is a loose adaptation of the 1971 musical 'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'. The show features an AI-generated voice of Gene Wilder as Wonka, with permission reportedly granted by his estate.
The series places 24 American contestants in a recreated chocolate factory, complete with edible grass and a 'chocolate' river. Participants undertake various challenges to avoid elimination, with the ultimate prize being approximately $3 million, or a six-figure salary for 30 years.
The show's challenges are described as having negative consequences, even for winners. One contestant, Hunter, reportedly lamented, "Everything became different when my brother was trapped in the gumball machine." The series is noted for encouraging greed and stupidity among contestants, leading to the elimination of 'nicer' participants.