A new “Willy Wonka” spinoff horror movie has been announced, and like its source material, viewers may need to take a closer look at it before purchasing their golden tickets.

Bloody Disgusting reported Monday that Scotland-based film production company Kaledonia Pictures will produce The Unknown. If the connection to one of author Roald Dahl’s signature creations is unclear, that’s by design. The film will be based on a character who debuted in a viral “Willy Wonka Experience” in Glasgow, Scotland.

Kaledonia Pictures told Bloody Disgusting that the film will follow “a renowned illustrator and his wife, haunted by the tragic death of their son, Charlie. Desperate to escape their grief, the couple leave the world behind for the remote Scottish Highlands – where an unknowable evil awaits them.”

In February 2024, a group of unlucky individuals were misled by AI-generated images into paying money to attend a “Willy Wonka” chocolate factory-themed pop-up event. The event was advertised as a magical experience and ended up being anything but magical. Deemed nightmarish, the event went viral online shortly after all in attendance realized they had been deceived. 

Young children in attendance encountered an experience populated with props and decorations that could have been thrifted straight from a dollar store. They also crossed paths with depressed oompa loompas who gifted them anywhere between one and three jelly beans along with a quarter-cup of lemonade. 

The highlight of the sensation was an original character seemingly included to confuse and frighten everyone who paid their hard-earned Scottish pounds to give their young ones an authentic “Wonka” experience. The Unknown is an evil hooded chocolate maker sporting a shiny Halloween mask who scares visitors by leaping out at them.

The Unknown quickly became the face of the entire fiasco after they were featured heavily in news coverage. The identity of this mysterious figure remained a mystery until March 3 when The Unknown was unmasked as a 16-year-old Glaswegian teenage girl on her first acting job. Naturally, the next step for this young girl would be to continue playing the character, or at the very least campaigning for a cameo appearance, in the upcoming film.

Kaledonia Pictures expressed to Bloody Disgusting that it was surreal for them to see Glasgow gain extensive worldwide publicity thanks to the event.

The company is aiming to release The Unknown later this year.

Update Courtesy of Evan Miller

Feature Image Courtesy of Know Your Meme