Released in the UK on 29th July Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the second adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic. In the brand new version the film star Johnny Depp is sure to make Dahl collectables hot property this year.
Merchandise for the Elm is stacked up in stores ranging from lunch boxes for kids to golden ticket cufflinks for adults. Hang on to your packaging, stash away those mint books and hide away those promotional posters because Charlie and the Chocolate Factory collectables should rocket.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was first published in 1964 in the US and followed on in the UK in 1967. The book was a huge success and has since been published in 32 languages selling 13.7 million copies. Today everyone knows the story of Charlie Bucket who eats cabbage soup because his family are so poor. One day he is lucky enough to find a golden ticket to visit the famous Wonka factory. Four naughty children, hundreds of Oompa Loompas and the eccentric Willy Wonka all add to the tale those generations of children have adored. Roald Dahl found C Charlie and the Chocolate Factory one of the most difficult books to write and originally had 15 children in the book. He showed his first draft to his nephew, Nicholas, who after reading it through, told his Uncle that it was rotten and boring! Dahl went back to the drawing board and after condensing the characters down to just five children created the story that we all love today. The inspiration behind the book came from Dahl’s school days when Cadbury’s would occasionally ask the school children to test out their new chocolate bars. Dahl always dreamed of one day inventing a chocolate bar and getting the approval of Mr Cadbury himself, but instead he went on to write a classic about chocolate.
The first film adaptation called Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was produced in 1971 starring Gene Wilder. The witches, Danny and the champion of the world, Matilda and the BFG have also been made into films. However, the films that were mode within Dahl’s lifetime, including Willy Wonka, were detested by the author who described them as “utterly appalling.” With Charlie and the Chocolate Factory being such a hit novel it wasn’t surprising that Dahl had many requests for another re-make of the film. He refused to entertain the idea, however. and went to his grave safe in the knowledge that no other monstrosity had been produced. Roald Dahl died in 1990 from a rare blood disorder at the age of 74. Six years after his death, his wife Felicity took her husbands place in vetting directors, actors, and screen plays for a new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory film.
Actors including Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler were considered for the part of Willy Wonka but eventually Johnny Depp was chosen along with Director Tim Burton. Depp and Burton had already teamed up in films such as Edward Scissorhands and Sleepy Hollow and Burton had already worked with Felicity o James and the Giant Peach. Burton intended making the film a much darker version than the original and wanted to convey the true essence of the book.\
Warner Brothers have spent £86 million on production Felicity Dahl being one of the executive producers making sure that everything is as Dahl would have wanted it. This version would be sure to meet Dahl’s approval with Tim Burton realising that “sinister things are very mush a part of childhood”. This is a sentiment that Dahl strongly agreed with and Burton told reporters at the LA premier that he “responded to the children’s book because is respected that children can be adult and I think adults forget that.” Dahl would certainly have been proud.
With a new film comes merchandise and this year the shops are going to be crammed with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory collectables. Although merchandise for all of Dahl’s films are collectable, the new version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is sure to produce the most collectable merchandise of all, especially as it stars Johnny Depp. Postcards, collector’s cards, posters, magnets, t-shirts, books, mouse mats and key chains have all been produced for the film’s release. If kept in mint condition, they are bound to become collectables in years to come especially if of good quality and made by a famous manufacturer.
Penguin books have produced a film version front cover to the book so collectors should keep a mini copy of this, as it is a first edition of its kind. A large picture book with an abridged version of the story, a joke book and a fun file have also been published by Penguin and these are great things for kids to collect.
An 18” Willy Wonka toy has been made by Reel Toys which again needs to be kept in tip top condition as it won’t be around forever and will soon be collected by doll and Dahl enthusiasts alike. Funrise toys have produced a set of seven action figures of the main characters from the film and each sits in a green base and comes with a mad-looking Wonka tree. Retailing at £9.99 these figures aren’t cheap for children but will more likely be collected by adults and kept in pristine condition.
Collectors cards have been produced with the intention of being collectable and the manufactures have given the collectors many incentives to buy more and more cards. Just like trying to the golden ticket, collectors can find special signed cards, props and pieces of fabric attached to a card. There are even scratch and sniff cards like the scratch and sniff wallpaper found in Willy Wonka’s factory. Flavours include marshmallow, bubblegum and of course chocolate which are already trading for around £5 each. Cards can be bought in small packs in newsagents or a basic 90 card set can be bought for £14.99 from specialist dealers. Internet sites are also selling display boxes and 24 packs of Cards for £49.99, which would be a great way of buying them because each box is bound to have a special card hidden away. How much fun would it be ripping open 24 packs of cards looking for that all important prop card or signed card? eBay are already selling Fabric cards for between £9.99 and £34.99 each depending on who wore the fabric in the film. Signed cards sell from £9.99 for a Mr Salt card signed by the actor James Fox, to £320 for a Willy Wonka card signed by Johnny Depp! A US exclusive card holding a piece of grass from the film set was up for sale for £74.99, so it’s definitely worth buying a few packets of cards to see what’s inside.
However for long term collectability it is best to buy items that aren’t produced in huge ‘limited editions’ or ‘collectors edition’ as these tend to mean huge production runs which don’t signal future value. Anyone who can get their hands on cinema promotional such as ceiling high posters and cardboard cut outs, especially of Depp, will be sure to have something that others will what to fight over. The UK premier was held on 17th July in Leicester Square and this is where fans could get the best collectable available. Johnny Depp spent 90 minutes signing autographs! But if fans were clever enough they would have got Johnny to sign tickets, books and fliers for increased collectability.
As with any movie, watch out for non-licensed merchandise. Anything produced with the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory name or using any image from the film must be licensed by Warner Bros. Manufactures have to have permission to produce anything related to the film but there are many un-licensed pieces on the market, especially on eBay and these should be avoided. Anything that doesn’t come in official packaging or with the correct copyright logos isn’t a genuine piece and these generally shouldn’t be collected. Homemade key rings, pin badges, CD clocks and t-shirts are all for sale on eBay and they are simply not the genuine article. I even emailed a seller who was selling framed Wonka Bars with pictures of all the characters around it and asked him who they were made by. The seller clearly didn’t realise he had to have a license as he informed me that he bought the frames and filled them with the pieces himself! Avoid home made collectables as their future value is highly questionable as they have nothing to do with the film makers. Only buy genuine film merchandise from reputable dealers and you will be on the way to owning something that should rise in value on the secondary market.
