Call it pure AI-magination.Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscriptionGet exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading.On Tuesday, Netflix unveiled the trailer for its new Willy Wonka-themed competition show, which features a re-creation of Gene Wilder’s voice.
Wilder, who died in 2016 at age 83, was known for his role as the eccentric candy man in the 1971 children’s favorite “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.”“Wonka’s The Golden Ticket,” which premieres on Netflix on Sept.23, will follow 12 contestants as they navigate a series of challenges inside Wonka’s Chocolate Factory for the chance at one grand prize.“A whole new generation of real-life Golden Ticket holders will compete for a life-changing prize or say a most unfortunate goodbye,” the AI-generated voice of Wilder says in a voiceover for the trailer.
“Marvel at the magic you remember and delight in my newest wonders beyond imagination.The most extraordinary competition on Earth is about to begin.” Karen Wilder, Wilder’s wife, said his estate is “delighted” that the show will be “introducing that magic to a new generation while honoring the fans who have cherished it for decades.”“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 provided by Netflix.The project is a partnership between Netflix and the AI voice generation company ElevenLabs, which has been making inroads in Hollywood in recent years.Just last week, ElevenLabs released its own audiobook version of Homer’s “Odyssey,” narrated by an AI-generated clone of Michael Caine’s voice, which was similarly licensed with permission from his estate.The startup has a “marketplace” system that lets companies ask to license AI-generated reproductions of certain highly recognizable voices to use in media campaigns and creative proj...