Netflix's Willy Wonka reality show recreates Gene Wilder's voice with AI, sparking nostalgia and unease

Netflix is resurrecting the voice of Gene Wilder for its new Willy Wonka reality competition, Wonka's The Golden Ticket, using artificial intelligence with the blessing of the actor's widow. The nine-part series, produced by Eureka Productions on Australia's Gold Coast, will see 12 Golden Ticket winners and a partner of their choice navigate physical, mental, and moral challenges inside a painstakingly recreated chocolate factory. A teaser trailer released on 30 June confirmed a premiere date of 23 September and a two-part finale on 30 September, and it immediately ignited debate over the ethical limits of AI-generated performances.

The show itself

Netflix describes the unscripted series as a "high-stakes social experiment" inspired by Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the 1971 film adaptation. Each contestant duo will face a series of Wonka-designed tests, with one champion left standing to claim a "life-changing prize". The production aims for visual fidelity, with sets modeled on the original movie, and it even brings back Rusty Goffe, who played an Oompa Loompa in 1971, to reprise his role. Filming took place on the Gold Coast with support from the local government, and the show emerges from a competitive bake-off among production companies that Eureka Productions won in early 2024.

The AI voice and the estate's approval

Netflix worked with AI audio company ElevenLabs (which has previously cloned voices of Michael Caine and Stan Lee) to recreate Wilder's voice, with full consent from the Wilder estate. Karen B. Wilder, the actor's widow, issued 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. 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 honoring the fans who have cherished it for decades.”

The estate's endorsement is clear, but that has not silenced the backlash.

Critical reactions and ethical unease

Entertainment outlets responded with a mix of fascination and revulsion. Vulture called the AI voice "upsetting" and an "un-ensouled" simulation, while TechRadar declared the technology had gone "too far", arguing that Wilder's layered performance, swinging from playful to sinister, cannot be separated from the living actor. Gizmodo, though ambivalent, noted the show's production design appeared "stunning". The common refrain is that the estate's consent may legalize the recreation but does not resolve the discomfort of hearing a dead performer narrate new content.

Timeline and franchise context

The Wonka reality show sits inside a larger Netflix push into Dahl's universe. The streamer bought the Roald Dahl Story Company in 2021 and has separately commissioned an animated feature, Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory, planned for 2027. This game show follows the template of Netflix's Squid Game: The Challenge, turning a fictional high-stakes contest into real, if less lethal, television.