Hey folks, Harry here... There really hasn't been any 'perceptible', by us folks here, movement upon what most seem to call the WILLY WONKA REMAKE. If you remember, this is a project that Gary Ross (director of PLEASANTVILLE) has to direct (though not necessarily as his next film). We know that Scott Frank was working on the script... but we also know that Scott is working on many scripts besides this one... So from what I've heard this is definately moving forward... but in little steps... little steps. Ross wants to get this one just right, he wants to make it like he read it in Dahl's book. So relax and enjoy the wait...

Hey Harry,

It's me, the Dahl-freak that wrote you about the Wonka remake a few months ago. It looks like we're going to have to stop referring to it as such though. I've just had another e-mail from the Roald Dahl Foundation confirming the title of the movie: "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." That's right, no mention of Wonka. Literary fanboys will remember that this was, in fact, the original title of the book. Ever wonder why was it changed? Remember, this movie came out in 1971. According to "Roald Dahl: A Biography" by Jeremy Treglown: "... The title was altered to 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory' --'Charlie' being Afro-American slang for a white man. The change was explained in publicity handouts as reflecting an in fact nonexistent expansion of Wonka's role."

Anyway, it's not a lot of news but it is pretty significant. (Nearly every movie rumor site on the Net now has the title wrong.) I'll keep you posted if I hear anything new...

Dahl-Freak