Last month, attendees of Glasgow's "Willy's Chocolate Experience" found themselves sorely disappointed as the event failed to live up to its promises, prompting refunds and police intervention.
Despite charging up to £35 (approximately $45 USD) for tickets, attendees were met with a far cry from the promised "celebration of chocolate in all its delightful forms."
The promotional materials hyped an "immersive experience" featuring giant mushrooms, candy canes, chocolate fountains, Oompa-Loompas, and an "enchanted garden" filled with "giant sweets, vibrant blooms, mysterious-looking sculptures, and magical surprises."
Interestingly, the unexpected breakout star of this peculiar chocolate-themed event, The Unknown, is now set to terrify audiences in an upcoming horror film after terrifying young children at the ill-fated event.
According to Bloody Disgusting, the top source for horror film news, the film follows a renowned illustrator and his wife haunted by the tragic death of their son, Charlie. "Desperate to escape their grief," continues the proposed logline, "the couple leave the world behind for the remote Scottish Highlands – where an unknowable evil awaits them.”
Kaledonia Pictures, the company that is working on the film, said in a statement to the news outlet that its staff are "excited to begin production and look forward to sharing more with you as soon as possible." The company noted its offices are "only a few miles from the event, so it is quite surreal to see Glasgow all over social media, worldwide.”
Reactions to the news were overwhelmingly negative.
Prospective fans of this unexpected horror flick inspired by a seemingly innocent chocolate-themed event will have to wait until late 2024 to see the film in all its glory.
The news is a funny development amidst critical acclaim for director Paul King's Wonka, starring actor Timotheé Chalamet as a younger version of the eccentric chocolatier.
The film is a commercial success, grossing $624 million worldwide against a $125 million budget. Chalamet has received praise for his interpretation of a character made famous by the late Gene Wilder and was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.
