Willy Wonka tested children with rooms full of chocolate rivers, nut-sorting squirrels, and fizzy lifting drinks — not to reward ambition, but to expose flaws in character. Netflix appears to have missed that memo entirely, announcing a new reality competition series, The Golden Ticket, based on Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Unlike the novel’s cautionary tone, the show embraces competition and personal strategy, promising high-stakes gameplay inside a “retro-futuristic” chocolate factory.
Netflix, now several years into owning the Roald Dahl Story Company, seems intent on adapting as much of his catalogue as possible. After releasing Matilda the Musical and the Oscar-winning The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, the streamer has moved full steam ahead with The Twits (based on Dahl’s 1980 classic) and now this game show.
“We are thrilled to bring the magic of The Chocolate Factory to life like never before,” said Jeff Gaspin, Vice President of Unscripted at Netflix. “This one-of-a-kind reality competition blends adventure, strategy, and social dynamics, creating an experience that is as captivating as it is unpredictable. For the first time, a lucky few won’t just have to imagine the experience — they’ll get to step inside the factory and live it.”
Eureka Productions, the company behind The Mole and TwentySomethings: Austin, will handle production duties. Contestants won’t be turned into blueberries or fall into chocolate rivers, but they will go through a series of physical and mental challenges inspired by the world Dahl built. How closely the show will mirror the source material’s themes remains unclear. Based on early descriptions, it seems to lean more into Squid Game: The Challenge than Dahl’s original message of humility, kindness, and self-restraint.
While The Golden Ticket isn’t expected to veer into lethal territory, it does invite comparisons to other fictional-turned-real competitions that blur the line between satire and spectacle. Netflix is clearly banking on the nostalgia of childhood stories to drive engagement, but this approach risks flattening the original intent of Dahl’s work. His stories often warned against greed and arrogance; this reality series might accidentally reward both.
Casting is already underway. Participants won’t need to unwrap a magical ticket, just fill out a form and hope they stand out. What they’ll win, and whether they’ll face consequences for their worst instincts like their fictional predecessors, is still under wraps.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, and anime — you name it. When she’s not reading or being a dedicated cinephile, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of Caleb from Love and Deepspace.
Kevin Low
