Netflix is using AI to recreate Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka voice, and not everyone is happy

Netflix is bringing back Gene Wilder’s iconic Willy Wonka voice for a new reality competition show, using AI. His estate gave its blessing, but fans are divided. Here’s what’s real, what the show is, and why it’s sparking a heated debate.

Get ready to hear a familiar voice: Netflix is bringing back Gene Wilder’s legendary Willy Wonka, more than 50 years after the original film and a decade after the actor’s death, using artificial intelligence.

It’s for a new reality competition show, and it’s already stirring up strong feelings on both sides. Here’s exactly what Netflix is doing, why Wilder’s family signed off on it, and why plenty of fans are uneasy about it.

What’s actually happening

First, let’s be precise about what this is, and isn’t.

Netflix is launching a reality competition series called Wonka’s The Golden Ticket, premiering September 23, 2026. To capture the magic of the beloved 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, the show uses AI to recreate the voice of Gene Wilder, who originated the role and died in 2016.

Importantly, this isn’t a full digital “resurrection” of Wilder on screen. It’s specifically his voice, recreated by the AI audio company ElevenLabs, used to narrate and guide the show. In the teaser, the AI Wilder voice says, “For the first time in decades, I’m opening my beloved chocolate factory.”

What the show actually is

Here’s the format, because it’s very of-the-moment.

The Golden Ticket is essentially a Willy Wonka-themed competition show, think Netflix’s Squid Game: The Challenge, but candy-coated. Twelve “golden ticket” winners, each with a partner, enter a recreation of Wonka’s Chocolate Factory and face a series of challenges “designed to challenge them physically, mentally, and morally.” The last team standing wins a “life-changing prize.”

It’ll run nine episodes with a two-part finale, and even features Rusty Goffe, an actor who played an Oompa Loompa in the original 1971 movie. It’s the latest project from Netflix’s ownership of the Roald Dahl Story Company, which it bought in 2021.

The family gave its blessing

This is the key detail that separates this from a shady deepfake.

Netflix didn’t do this without permission. The company worked directly with Gene Wilder’s estate, and his widow, Karen B. Wilder, gave a warm, supportive 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.”

So by the numbers, this is a fully licensed, estate-approved use of Wilder’s voice, not a rogue AI knockoff.

But fans are pushing back

Here’s the other side, and it’s loud.

Despite the family’s approval, a lot of fans and critics are uncomfortable, and their objections are worth hearing:

• “Just hire a real actor.” The most common complaint is simple: why use an AI ghost of Wilder when you could cast a living performer? As one critic put it, “Just hire someone to play Willy Wonka.”

• The consent question. Wilder himself can’t approve this, he’s gone. And some point to the fact that Wilder was openly critical of the 2005 Wonka remake, telling The Guardian it was “all about money… some people sitting around thinking: ‘How can we make some more money?’” That’s led fans to wonder whether Wilder himself would have said yes.

• The “let the dead rest” camp. For many, there’s just something inherently unsettling about using technology to reanimate a deceased actor’s voice, no matter how well-intentioned.

The bigger picture: this is a growing trend

Here’s the context that makes this more than a one-off.

Wilder is far from alone. AI recreations of late (and living) stars are rapidly becoming a Hollywood norm. The same company behind this, ElevenLabs, recently made an Odyssey audiobook narrated by an AI Michael Caine (with his permission), and has recreated the voices of Judy Garland and Burt Reynolds. A recent film even featured an AI-assisted version of Val Kilmer after his 2025 passing.

The pattern is clear: as long as estates are willing to license these voices, and audiences keep watching, this technology isn’t going anywhere. As the AI Wilder voice ominously says at the end of the teaser: “There’s no turning back now.”

The bottom line

Netflix’s AI Willy Wonka is a genuine flashpoint in the debate over AI in entertainment, and honestly, both sides have a real point. Supporters, including Wilder’s own family, see it as a loving tribute that introduces a legendary performance to a new generation, done with full permission and care. Critics see it as a cost-cutting gimmick that sidesteps living actors and raises uneasy questions about consent from someone who can no longer give it.

There’s no clean answer here. The estate’s blessing is meaningful and genuine, but it doesn’t fully silence the discomfort many feel about “bringing back” the dead. What’s certain is that Wonka’s The Golden Ticket will be a real-world test of how audiences feel about it.

When it premieres September 23, viewers will decide for themselves whether hearing that beloved voice again feels like pure imagination, or a bridge too far.

Either way, as Wonka himself might say: the suspense is terrible… I hope it’ll last.

Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.

Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Hat Tips:

• The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and Deadline (June 2026), verified for the Wonka’s The Golden Ticket details (the September 23, 2026 premiere, nine episodes, the 12-contestant format, the “life-changing prize,” Rusty Goffe’s involvement, Eureka Productions, and the Roald Dahl Story Company connection), the ElevenLabs partnership, and Karen B. Wilder’s full estate statement

• NBC News and The Guardian (via reporting) (2026), verified for the fan and critic backlash, the “just hire someone” objection, and Gene Wilder’s own past criticism of the 2005 remake (”It’s all about money”)

• ScreenRant, TheWrap, and MovieWeb (June 2026), verified for the teaser-trailer quotes (”For the first time in decades…” and “There’s no turning back now”), the consent-question framing, and the broader ElevenLabs AI-voice trend (Michael Caine’s Odyssey, Judy Garland, Burt Reynolds, Val Kilmer)