10 Disappointing Movies That Killed Our Nostalgia
3. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory wasn't really a remake of Mel Stuart's Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Despite that fact, and maybe unfairly to Burton, it's almost impossible not to make a mental comparison to the '70s classic. Johnny Depp's casting as Willy Wonka did seem like an inspired (if overly obvious) choice, and in an alternate universe it could have been brilliant.
Sadly, Depp just can't hold up to Gene Wilder's absolutely incredible interpretation of the part. Where Wilder was at once magically upbeat and suggestive of something darker, Depp was weird. Where Wilder seemed otherworldly as an eccentric chocolate maker, Depp was... weird. It's not the worst film on this list, but even the highly imaginative costumes and sets couldn't hold up to the unquantifiable magic of Stuart's earlier adaptation.