Netflix uses AI-generated Gene Wilder voice for Willy Wonka reality show, sparking backlash

Netflix is using an AI-generated Gene Wilder voice in its Willy Wonka reality show

A new teaser trailer confirmed that Wonka's The Golden Ticket will premiere on Netflix on September 23rd, following its Squid Game reality show in the trend of creating real competitions based on fictional torture scenarios. While the sets seen in the trailer are real and not some Glasgow-style AI fakes, the voiceover is AI-generated. Deadline reports that Netflix worked with AI audio company ElevenLabs with consent from Wilder's family, after working on productions recreating the voice of Michael Caine and Stan Lee. It also continues Netflix's 2021 partnership with the Roald Dahl company, and is separate from the Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory animated feature that will arrive in 2027. As for the show itself, Netflix says its "high-stakes social experiment" will feature 12 "lucky" golden ticket winners plus their chosen partner in the competition, with one champion left standing a week later during the two-part finale on September 30th.

Netflix used AI to put Gene Wilder's voice into a new reality show - Engadget

Netflix has worked with ElevenLabs to develop a recreation of Gene Wilder's voice for use in an upcoming unscripted reality show inspired by Roald Dahl's novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Wilder played chocolate factory owner Willy Wonka in the 1971 film adaptation of the book and the gen-AI version of his voice will be used in a competition program with challenges inspired by the both the book and the film. Variety reported that the recreation was done in collaboration with Wilder's estate and with the approval of his wife, which does seem like the bare minimum of common decency when recreating a deceased performer. But as so often happens when I hear about AI-generated imitations of celebrities, my biggest question is: why? The AI-generated version of Wilder's voice appears to be in use in the show's trailer, and it does sound like his take on Willy Wonka. But it's eerie to hear that familiar voice narrating B-roll of a set that looks just like a production exec's idea of whimsy. And it's true that his portrayal of the chaotic chocolatier was one of Wilder's more iconic roles (although he's also very well-known for his many appearances across the hilarious filmography of Mel Brooks). But Willy Wonka originated in a book and is ripe for re-interpretation by other performers. Wilder might have been the best to do it, but he's not the only actor to embody the character to date. My immediate reaction is that paying to try and recapture a particular performance with AI is both a stunt to draw attention and a way to avoid paying a real actor to do a similar job. I'm willing to be wrong and for this to be tastefully done in a way that fans and AI critics alike will appreciate. But I'm not expecting that.

'Wait a minute. Strike that. Reverse it:' Netflix is using an AI-generated Gene Wilder voice for 'Wonka' reality show

Netflix is using an AI-generated Gene Wilder voice for its new 'Wonka' reality show -- and the project is already dividing fans and critics Netflix revealed it is bringing one of Hollywood's most recognizable voices back with AI for the upcoming reality competition "Wonka's The Golden Ticket." The show will feature an AI-generated recreation of Gene Wilder's voice, nearly a decade after the beloved actor died in 2016. According to Variety, the show premieres September 23 and is produced by Eureka Productions. It will follow 12 golden ticket winners and their chosen partners as they compete in a series of games over nine episodes inspired by the 1971 film "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" and Roald Dahl's source novel. Rather than hiring an impersonator, Netflix worked with AI voice company ElevenLabs and Gene Wilder's estate to recreate the actor's voice for entirely new narration. As NBC News reported, the show's teaser features the AI-generated Wilder saying things like "the most extraordinary competition on Earth is about to begin," dialogue that never appeared in the original film. The Hollywood Reporter noted that Rusty Goffe, who played an Oompa Loompa in the 1971 film, will reprise the role during the challenges. The estate signed off -- but not everyone is convinced Similar to Val Kilmer's estate approving his likeness to appear in a film, the recreation of Gene Wilder was created with the approval of Wilder's family. Karen B. Wilder, the actor's wife, said in a statement on behalf of the estate that Gene "had a remarkable ability to bring humor, wonder and heart into people's lives" and that the family is "delighted" the show will introduce "that magic to a new generation," according to Variety. But the estate's approval hasn't quieted critics. NBC News reported that some fans pointed out Wilder himself was skeptical of efforts to revisit his most famous role, citing his criticism of the 2005 "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" remake. Others have questioned whether consent from a spouse or estate can truly stand in for consent from the performer. Film reviewer Stefan Ellison wrote on X in response to the announcement: "Just hire someone to play Willy Wonka. Even the Wonka Experience in Glasgow did that." That reference points to the disastrous AI-promoted Wonka event in 2024 that drew police complaints. ElevenLabs is building a pattern Netflix's Wonka project isn't an isolated experiment. ElevenLabs has been steadily expanding its presence in Hollywood. The company has already created similar AI voice recreations of Judy Garland and Burt Reynolds. Just last week, it released an audiobook of Homer's "Odyssey" narrated by an AI-generated clone of Michael Caine's voice, timed to arrive ahead of Christopher Nolan's feature adaptation. Last year, it debuted a version of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" read by an AI Garland ahead of "Wicked: For Good." You might remember Matthew McConaughey and even Taylor Swift have trademarked their voices in the fight against AI deepfakes. In this new era, it's clear ElevenLabs is positioning AI voice recreation as a licensing model, pairing iconic voices with major entertainment properties at strategically timed release windows. What this signals for Hollywood The new model of estate-approved and commercially licensed AI recreation is a middle path between leaving iconic performances in the past and the unrestricted deepfake free-for-all that many in the industry fear. Whether the estate-licensing model becomes an industry standard or draws a regulatory response remains an open question. But the debate is no longer theoretical. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Subscribe to Tom's Guide on YouTube and follow us on TikTok. Finally, you can visit our dedicated Tom's Guide Savings Squad hub for expert help on getting the best products for less.

Netflix's 'Wonka' reality show will use AI-generated voice of Gene Wilder

Netflix has announced a new reality competition show based on the beloved film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, as well as the novel it's based on. The company is also using AI to recreate the voice of deceased actor Gene Wilder, who played Willy Wonka in the 1971 movie. And people are mad. Wonka's The Golden Ticket (no, that isn't a typo) will feature 12 pairs competing in a series of Wonka-themed challenges and "temptations," which are designed to push the contestants "physically, mentally, and morally." Judging from the trailer, the duos won't be lucky golden ticket-wielding children accompanied by semi-responsible adults as in Roald Dahl's 1964 story. Instead, adult ticketholders with equally adult companions will be entering Wonka's candy emporium, which has slightly more sinister vibes than its inspiration. Interestingly, Netflix states that only one contestant will win Wonka's The Golden Ticket's "life-changing prize," which raises questions as to how the ticket winners' plus-ones factor in. Considering that Netflix describes the series as a "high-stakes social experiment," it seems possible that betrayal could be on the cards. The staff of Netflix's fantastical chocolate factory will include an Oompa Loompa who appeared in Mel Stuart's classic film: English actor Rusty Goffe. However, the Netflix series will also feature the AI-generated voice of Gene Wilder, who played Willy Wonka. Wilder died in 2016 at 83 due to complications from Alzheimer's disease. Netflix worked with AI company ElevenLabs to digitally recreate Wilder's voice for Wonka's The Golden Ticket, which can be heard in the series' teaser trailer: The project, according to Netflix, has the blessing of Wilder's estate, with Wilder's wife Karen stating that Wonka's The Golden Ticket "celebrates the warmth and imagination that he brought to the role." Even so, using AI to digitally resurrect deceased actors hasn't been well-received in the past, regardless of whether their family or estate agrees. Earlier this year, upcoming film As Deep as the Grave made headlines for using a completely AI-generated deepfake of deceased actor Val Kilmer in a prominent role. Kilmer died from pneumonia at 65 in April last year. Though his children consented to the film's use of Kilmer's likeness, reactions online were overwhelmingly negative, some calling it "disgusting and disrespectful." Alien: Romulus also faced backlash in 2024 for using generative AI and production effects to bring the late Sir Ian Holm back into the Alien franchise. Mashable's Belen Edwards wrote at the time, "the result lives in the depths of the uncanny valley," noting other films that have brought back late actors: The Flash (Christopher Reeve's Superman) and Rogue One (Peter Cushing's Grand Moff Tarkin). "No matter what permissions an estate may grant, a late actor cannot consent to having their likeness used in a movie," Edwards wrote. "Doing so is an immediate violation of their personhood. In reviving them for the screen, you're creating a performance in a film they might never have agreed to do, with acting choices they might never have made." Reactions to Wonka's The Golden Ticket using Wilder's AI-generated vocal likeness have also been scathing, with social media users labelling it "digital necromancy." While he was alive, Kilmer had worked on a separate project with UK company Sonantic to create an AI speaking voice based on his old recordings. However, rather than being completely controlled by others, this was for his own use after he lost his voice to throat cancer. Wonka's The Golden Ticket will premiere Sept. 23 on Netflix.

I'm an AI fan, but Netflix's use of an AI-generated Gene Wilder voice for its Willy Wonka reality show broke me -- and we've officially gone too far

55 years ago, the legendary Gene Wilder invited us to join him in "a world of pure imagination." Now, a disembodied AI recreation of his sonorous vocals is inviting us to join him in his "my newest wonders beyond imagination." But there's little-to-nothing imaginative about the use of an AI-generated version of Wilder's voice to help sell Netflix subscribers on a new Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory-themed reality show, and, quite honestly, I hate everything about it. To catch you up, this new show, which is set to air in September on one of the best streaming services, Netflix, borrows sets (recreations), themes, and even one living actor who played an Oompa Loompa from the original 1971 film to create a reality show that it hopes will somehow, if not match, approach the charm and danger of the original film. Not getting the point Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, based on the Roald Dahl bookCharlie and the Chocolate Factory, is a commentary on wealth, poverty, family, risk, and cruelty, all wrapped in a candy-covered fantasy. The protagonist, Charlie Bucket, is so poor he lives in a ramshackle London cottage with multiple generations of family members, including a grandfather who has not left his bed in years. Meanwhile, Wonka is finally opening up his secretive factory to a select group of the public, chosen at random via golden tickets hidden in some of his candy. I know, it sounds like a confection, but the first scene in which Wilder appears gives you a hint that this is not your typical children's story. When all the winners, including Charlie, arrive, Wonka (Wilder) unsteadily walks out while using a cane to greet them. As he approaches the gate, Wilder loses his grip on the cane and falls forward, but instead of face-planting, he does an effortless tumble and is suddenly upright and boisterous. I tell you all this because there is so much complexity and nuance in that one scene and virtually all of it engineered by Wilder's performance. Throughout the film, his face and especially his voice drive the narrative and mood, yo-yoing it between playful host and sinister guide who keeps losing children to one self-imposed calamity after another. Never before or since have I seen a character in a children's film swing so wildly from gentle and childlike to ominous. It's a wonder the Academy didn't recognize his performance. Fast forward more than half a century to this streaming show, which uses Wilder's voice with the permission of his family; you can get your first sample of it in the new show trailer (above). Created by increasingly well-known ElevenLabs, the voice is, in my opinion, a poor recreation at best, but I guess I might also call it unmistakably Wilder-like. It's also depressing. The thing about Wilder's real voice in films like Willy Wonka, The Producers, Stir Crazy, and Young Frankenstein is that it could be wildly emotional. Wilder as a hysteric was often the funniest thing you had ever seen. No one went off the rails like Gene Wilder, but also few other actors could express such warmth and compassion, and sometimes he did it all in a single scene. At the end of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Wonka discovers Charlie is stealing his everlasting gobstopper to deliver it to Wonka's chief competitor. His anger at Charlie is terrifying, but as soon as Charlie leaves the candy behind, Wonka (Wilder) transforms, and the compassion and joy in his voice is something to behold. The AI Wilder voice in this trailer is devoid of passion, pathos, or really any recognizable human emotion. It's a soulless Gene Wilder. Look, there's no doubt the power of AI is transforming life and culture. It lets us do things we never thought possible. It's a co-worker, a companion, a sleuth, a coder, and a creator, but we are now at the point where we must ask ourselves: Just because AI can, should it? I guess we can ask a similar question about the AI-generated Val Kilmer in the unfortunately titled As Deep as the Grave. While I can understand if Kilmer had completed some filming and they wanted to bridge the gap in scenes filmed after his death, this full-scale recreation, even with the estate's permission, seems wrong. I love these actors, but none are irreplaceable, and using their likenesses and voices simply to generate nostalgia and sell a product feels very wrong, and certainly not the best use of AI (and all the resources behind it). Surely, we can agree that it's often better to let the dead stay dead and not try to resurrect a simulacrum of their essence through the power of AI. The results are, to be honest, rather like the work of Baron Von Frankenstein: a monstrous creation that probably has no place on earth.

Fans Furious as Netflix Uses AI to Bring Gene Wilder's Voice Back From the Dead for Willy Wonka Reality Show

Can't-miss innovations from the bleeding edge of science and tech Beloved actor Gene Wilder, perhaps best known for his portrayal of the titular Willy Wonka in the 1971 musical fantasy film "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory," died in 2016 at the age of 83 from complications of Alzheimer's disease. Now, almost exactly a decade later, Netflix is trying to resurrect his voice using AI -- without securing his consent, since the tech to do so didn't even exist back when he was still alive. The entertainment giant unveiled a trailer for a new Wonka-themed competition show called "Wonka's The Golden Ticket," which makes use of Wilder's AI-generated voice. Furious fans reacted with anger at the development, with some excoriating it for being "disgusting" and a "really horrible idea." Others called it "unacceptable and disrespectful." "I hope this gets cancelled," one user tweeted. "Stop using AI." At this point, the widespread disdain shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Studios and production companies have been trying to squeeze money out of deceased celebrities for years now, often with the consent of their estate. It's only a small part of a much wider backlash to AI that's been building up for quite some time. Wilder's surviving wife, Karen Wilder, agreed to have her husband's voice be part of the show, saying she was "delighted" by the series that "celebrates the imagination" of the actor. Netflix's controversial game show will have contestants take part in a "series of Wonka's temptations and challenges" to win a final prize, presumably in the form of the titular "Golden Ticket." "For the first time in decades, I'm opening my beloved chocolate factory," Wilder's AI-reimagined voice says over the show's trailer. Wilder is far from the first deceased celebrity being pulled out of their grave by AI. Earlier this year, for instance, the voice of comic book icon Stan Lee, who died in 2018, was cloned for a "Stan Lee Book Club of the Month" by AI company ElevenLabs, the same firm that helped bring Wilder's voice back. Other celebrities, including legendary author and TV personality Anthony Bourdain, "Alien" actor Ian Holm, have also had their voices cloned without their express permission. Just last week, famed Hollywood actor Tom Hanks told Entertainment Weekly that he was afraid Disney could one day use AI to replace his voice in upcoming installments of the "Toy Story" franchise. In short, Netflix's uninspired use of Wilder's voice isn't exactly setting the company up for success, given the widespread criticism. Netizens also criticized the derivative set design seen in the trailer, drawing comparisons with a disastrous 2024 event called "Willy's Chocolate Experience," which made heavy use of AI in its marketing materials. The allegedly "immersive" experience -- effectively AI's Fyre Fest -- turned out to be so disappointing in reality that children burst into tears and their parents called the police. "Perhaps the Wonka Experience was better than this (not that it's saying much)," one user wrote scathingly in response to the latest news.

Netflix faces backlash over AI Gene Wilder voice for Willy Wonka show

The voice of deceased actor Gene Wilder has been recreated using AI for a new Willy Wonka-themed competition show on Netflix... Fans are not happy that the eccentric chocolatier's voice has been recreated. "There's no earthly way of knowing / Which direction we are going / There's no knowing where we're rowing / Or which way the river's flowing (...) Not a speck of light is showing / So the danger must be growing..." When Roald Dahl wrote those words for "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" - a ditty delivered by the incomparable Gene Wilder in the 1971 adaptation Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory - the author did not have AI in mind. Still, his nightmarish little poem seems fitting considering the way artificial intelligence is plaguing the artistic world and how it stands as one of its biggest existential threats. As if to prove the point, Netflix has unveiled the first look at their new competition series inspired by Dahl's classic novel. Titled Wonka's The Golden Ticket, the show will feature 12 "lucky Golden Ticket winners" and their partners entering "the gates of Wonka's Chocolate Factory and into a world of pure imagination, delicious mischief, and unexpected challenges." They'll also be faced with AI - specifically, Gene Wilder's "recreated voice", courtesy of "AI company ElevenLabs." Wilder - who died in 2016 at the age of 83 - can be heard in the teaser clip for the show, with his AI voice saying: "For the first time in decades, I'm opening my beloved chocolate factory... A whole new generation of real life golden ticket holders will compete for a life-changing prize, or say a most unfortunate goodbye." Fans immediately took to social media to call out the show and decry the simulation of Wilder. "Gene is rolling in his grave," wrote one, while another added: "Someone should have voiced this better, the ai voice lacks emotion, no soul no depth." Check out some of the reactions below: Sadly, it turns out that Wilder's estate consented to the use of the beloved actor's voice. Wilder's wife Karen commented on the news: "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. Gene had a remarkable ability to bring humour, wonder and heart into people's lives, and that connection has endured for generations." She added: "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 while honoring the fans who have cherished it for decades." Fans aren't feeling the magic. Nor a world of pure imagination.

Netflix Wonka Show Uses AI To Bring Back Gene Wilder For Teaser

Netflix has released the first teaser for its upcoming reality show, Wonka's Golden Ticket. And because the future is terrible, Netflix used AI to copy the late Gene Wilder's voice to narrate the teaser. It's yet one more sign of the streaming giant's slide from a high-end, premium content creator to a cheap, knock-off broadcast network. On June 30, Netflix showed Wonka fans their first real look at its next big reality competition show which, like Squid Game: The Challenge, is based on a fictional franchise built around people getting picked off one by one in cruel, twisted challenges. This time around, Golden Ticket is inspired by the classic 1971 film, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, which starred Gene Wilder as the eccentric but lovable confectioner Willy Wonka. And despite dying back in 2016, Wilder narrates this Golden Ticket teaser thanks(?) to the grim power of AI, as reported by Deadline. Here's the teaser: My gut reaction to this is that it's horrible. I'd rather eat glass than listen to dead people have their voices resurrected via computer to chat about a licensed reality show on Netflix. I'll at least give the AI tool used in this teaser credit: It perfectly recreated just how lazy and uninterested Wilder would have actually been in this abomination if he were still alive and was paid to promote it. Deadline reports that Wilder's voice was recreated with the permission of his estate. His wife Karen B. Wilder said she was "delighted" that the actor's voice will get to reach a "new generation." His voice will apparently play a larger role in the rest of the series, not just this teaser. Netflix reportedly also worked closely with ElevenLabs, an AI audio company, to recreate Wilder's voice. The company has worked with Stan Lee's estate and Michael Caine on similar projects. You might have heard that an AI version of the latter is narrating a new audiobook of the Odyssey ahead of the release of Christopher Nolan's latest Hollywood blockbuster. Even if the members of an actor or musician's estate sign off on using AI tools to resurrect deceased celebrities, as we saw with Tupac and Val Kilmer recently, I can't help but feel grossed out by all of this. Seeing companies puppet famous dead people from the past to shill products or have them appear in new games or movies is both nasty and also seems like a giant red flag that popular culture has splintered so much that few people are becoming truly famous in the traditional, large-scale sense. So companies are looking to the graveyard to pull out stars from the era of the monoculture to try and make a few bucks on their name and likeness while they are still valuable. Digital grave robbing is gross, man. Wonka's Golden Ticket airs exclusively on Netflix on September 23. I'll just watch the original movie instead.

Willy Wonka Competition Show at Netflix Uses AI to Re-Create Gene Wilder's Voice

Netflix has unveiled a first look at its forthcoming competition show based on Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory -- and also a first listen, which might be the key element here. Titled Wonka's The Golden Ticket, the unscripted series uses the re-created voice of actor Gene Wilder, who played Willy Wonka in the 1971 movie, as a key part of the game. Netflix and Eureka Productions, which is behind The Golden Ticket, got permission from Wilder's estate and worked with AI company ElevenLabs to re-create the late actor's voice. The series, which Netflix ordered last year, will feature 12 golden ticket winners and a partner of their choice facing a series of challenges inspired by the film and Roald Dahl's source novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Netflix bought the Roald Dahl Story Company in 2021). The show will also feature sets inspired by the 1971 movie, where "contestants must navigate a series of Wonka's games, tests, and temptations designed to challenge them physically, mentally, and morally." A teaser for the show features Wilder's re-created voice; watch it below. "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," said Karen B. Wilder, Gene Wilder's wife, on behalf of the Gene Wilder estate. "Gene had a remarkable ability to bring humor, wonder and heart into people's lives, and that connection has endured for generations. 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 while honoring the fans who have cherished it for decades." Chris Culvenor, Paul Franklin, Rikkie Proost, David Tibballs, Alison Holloway and Emer Harkin executive produce Wonka's The Golden Ticket. The series is scheduled to premiere Sept. 23.

Fans React to Netflix's AI Voice of Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka Reality Show

The sweet trailer for Netflix's upcoming Willy Wonka reality show has been soured by outrage over an AI-generated voice of late Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory star Gene Wilder. Netflix took to Instagram on Tuesday, June 30, to share a look at Wonka's The Golden Ticket, its new reality competition series inspired by the classic 1971 film starring Wilder as titular chocolatier Willy Wonka. (The film itself was based on Roald Dahl's 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.) "Step into a world of pure imagination when the gates of the Chocolate Factory reopen this Fall," the caption read while announcing the show's September 23 premiere date. While the trailer didn't show what challenges the competitors will have to face, fans did get a look inside the chocolate factory set, including the movie's famous chocolate river, golden goose eggs, framed photos of Oompa Loompas and more. The video was narrated by an AI-generated voice of Wilder, who died at age 83 in 2016. "For the first time in decades, I'm opening my beloved chocolate factory," the voice could be heard saying. "A whole new generation of real-life Golden Ticket holders will compete for a life-changing prize ... or say a most unfortunate goodbye." In the original musical fantasy film, the mysterious Willy Wonka opened the doors to his chocolate factory for the first time in years to invite five children who found Golden Tickets in their chocolate bars to tour the marvelous building. However, four of the winners fail to pass Wonka's moral tests, leaving only one heir to his candy empire. "Marvel at the magic you remember, and delight in my newest wonders beyond imagination. The most extraordinary competition on earth is about to begin," the voice continued. "There's no turning back now." While many Wonka fans expressed excitement for the nostalgic show, others found the AI voice of Wilder to be in poor taste. "I hope whoever decided to have Gene Wilder narrate this with AI rots in Hell," one person commented on the video. "They used AI to recreate Gene's voice for this crap. So disappointing. Hard pass!" another user added. "Using AI when voice actors are right!!! there!!! is diabolical," a third fan wrote. According to Deadline, Netflix partnered with AI studio ElevenLabs to recreate Wilder's voice with permission from his estate. "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," said Karen B. Wilder, the late actor's wife. "Gene had a remarkable ability to bring humor, wonder and heart into people's lives, and that connection has endured for generations. 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 while honoring the fans who have cherished it for decades." ElevenLabs, which has support from Matthew McConaughey as an investor, has also recreated retired actor Michael Caine's voice for an audiobook of The Odyssey and partnered with The Stan Lee Estate to recreate the superhero creator's voice, the outlet reported. The Golden Ticket will feature 12 contestants, along with a partner of their choosing, who must complete a series of physical, mental and moral challenges, similar to Netflix's other hit competition show, Squid Game: The Challenge, based on their fictional series Squid Game. In addition to Wilder's voice, the show will feature Rusty Goffe, who is set to reprise his role as an Oompa Loompa. The Golden Ticket will contain nine episodes, concluding with a two-part finale on September 30. Copyright 2026 Us Weekly. All rights reserved This story was originally published July 1, 2026 at 12:33 PM.

Netflix Resurrecting Gene Wilder's Voice Using AI for Willy Wonka Reality Series The Golden Ticket

Netflix has used AI technology to revive the voice of Gene Wilder for its new Willy Wonka reality show, Wonka's The Golden Ticket. The nine-episode series will debut via Netflix on September 23, and see 12 contestants enter a fresh version of Wonka's infamous chocolate factory to face challenges meant to test their physical, mental and moral strength in the hope of winning a "life-changing prize." A trailer for the series released today is narrated by an AI reproduction of Wilder, which Deadline reports was recreated by ubiquitous celebrity AI voice company ElevenLabs with consent from Wilder's estate. Of course, Wilder starred as the infamous confectionary maker in the beloved 1971 movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, adapted from Roald Dahl's timeless novel. If the name ElevenLabs sounds familiar, it's the same firm that just released a new version of The Odyssey narrated by an AI reproduction of Michael Caine, and also recently paid to capture the voice rights of late Marvel legend Stan Lee for use in various commercial ventures. "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," reads a statement from the late actor's widow, Karen B. Wilder, on behalf of the Gene Wilder Estate. "Gene had a remarkable ability to bring humor, wonder and heart into people's lives, and that connection has endured for generations. 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 while honoring the fans who have cherished it for decades." Alongside its AI Wonka, The Golden Ticket will feature some actual talent from Wilder's beloved 1971 film in the guise of Rusty Goffe, who returns as an Oompa Loompa for the show. The 93-year-old Caine previously described ElevenLabs' AI voice technology as "using innovation not to replace humanity, but to celebrate it... It's not about replacing voices; it's about amplifying them, opening doors for new storytellers everywhere." The company now owns a library of living and dead celebrities that also includes Judy Garland, David Hasselhoff, Albert Einstein, and Matthew McConaughey -- the latter of whom has also invested an undisclosed amount in the company. Last year, Sir David Attenborough issued a strongly-worded statement saying he was "profoundly disturbed" that AI was being used to have him say pretty much anything. Image credit: Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social