It’s all still theoretical at this point, but the scuttlebutt in Hollywood this week is that a prequel to Charlie & the Chocolate Factory is in the works and Ryan Gosling is being considered for the role of the wacky candy magnate Willy Wonka.

Via Screen Rant:

Sources say that Warner Bros has been looking for an actor between the ages of 29 and 35. While Gosling sits just outside that age bracket at 36, the La La Land star has apparently expressed interest in playing the character. Warners could possibly be interested in Gosling’s proven singing and dancing abilities, if they are aiming to make the prequel the musical affair that the 1971 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was.

In terms of exactly what sort of story the upcoming prequel will aim to tell, that’s still being kept under wraps. Previous news reports have detailed Warners’ efforts to make it clear that this will not be a sequel of any sort and have also hinted at the possibility of this being a Willy Wonka origin story. Of course, this makes perfect sense if the studio is currently looking to cast their Willy Wonka between the ages of 29 and 35. The film is being produced by Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them producer David Heyman, with a script by Simon Rich (The Secret Life of Pets).

The fact that the movie won’t be based on a Roald Dahl novel, though, is of grave concern to fans, as leaving the origin story of such a beloved character in the hands of Hollywood hacks has a high potential for failure. But then again, if Gosling is attached, it’s probably a quality production. As Screen Rant points out: Gosling’s deadpan deliveries and subtle comic timing are more in line with the sort of sensibilities Gene Wilder brought to the character – more so at least than Johnny Depp’s fun, but somewhat outlandish 2005 take.

So… are we excited by this?

(Photo of Ryan: Pacific Coast News)