Have you seen the trailer for the new Netflix show Wonka's The Golden Ticket?
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It's based on the beloved movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. According to the streamer, the contestants in the nine-episode "one-of-a-kind reality competition" will "step inside Wonka's chocolate factory." Inside, they will "face unpredictable games, tests and temptations."
Many of the scenes from the show look straight out of the beloved 1971 film. And the voice of one of its actors appears in the trailer: Gene Wilder, who played the eccentric chocolatier. But there's one problem: the beloved performer died in 2016 due to complications from Alzheimer's disease.
So how did Netflix make this happen? You probably already know the answer, and fans aren't happy about it.
Netflix Used AI to Re-Create the Voice of Gene Wilder
As reported by PennLive, Netflix and Eureka Productions, the company behind the show, were granted permission by Wilder's estate to recreate his voice using artificial intelligence. It is used to guide contestants through each of the show's challenges.
When the trailer for Wonka's The Golden Ticket premiered on Wednesday, Aug. 26, fans of the actor and the film were not pleased.
One user wrote, "Ironic Netflix would use this as a reality show concept with an AI Gene Wilder considering the work it's based on was about virtue and honesty being rewarded over greed, selfishness, and lack of self control."
Another added, "This should include a legally mandated notification about the AI-generated content, like when some foods are labeled as GMO in the grocery store. But sadly, that's not the world we live in."
One even joked, "A.I. Gene Wilder sounds just like Martin Short. They should have just gotten Martin Short."
And while many people disagree with the decision to resurrect Wilder using AI, the actor's wife, Karen, defended it.
"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," she said in a statement. "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."
Wonka's The Golden Ticket is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on Sep. 23.
