Netflix Recreates Gene Wilder's Voice With AI for 'Willy Wonka' Competition Series

Netflix Recreates Gene Wilder's Voice With AI for 'Willy Wonka' Competition Series

For Netflix's new "Willy Wonka" reality series, they are betting a bit more on pure nostalgia than pure imagination - and a dash of artificial intelligence, as the series will recreate Gene Wilder's voice using the new tech.

The streamer unveiled the trailer Tuesday for "Wonka's The Golden Ticket," a reality contest series playing with the iconography of Roald Dahl's iconic book "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory." The series will also harken back to the original "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" movie adaptation by featuring an AI reconstruction of Wilder's voice.

"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's wife, on behalf of the family 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."

"There's no turning back now," the AI voice says at the end of the trailer.

Predictably, the trailer drew some criticism on social media for the use of AI to approximate Wilder's voice.

"Doing this to Gene Wilder is so gross. Although in the end, it still sounds like every robotic AI voice you have heard," said @MisterCoat on X. "Just hire someone to play Willy Wonka. Even the Wonka Experience in Glasgow did that."