Voice of Gene Wilder recreated by AI for new Wonka-themed Netflix series

The voice of the late actor Gene Wilder has been recreated using AI for a new Willy Wonka-themed reality show on Netflix. 

The streaming service said it had partnered with ElevenLabs, a firm specialising in AI-generated speech and voice cloning technology, to ‌revive the voice of Wilder, who died in 2016 at the age of 83.

The actor played the title character in the 1971 film Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory - a musical adaptation of Roald Dahl's novel Charlie And The Chocolate Factory.

The new reality series, Wonka's The Golden Ticket, follows 12 golden-ticket winners, each accompanied by a ⁠partner of their choosing, as they navigate a series of challenges, with one contestant ⁠ultimately winning the 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."

The show, which will be available from 23 September, is being produced in partnership with the ​Gene Wilder Estate and will also feature Wilder's co-star ​Rusty Goffe, who is reprising his role as an Oompa Loompa.

Karen B Wilder, Gene Wilder's wife, said: "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.

"Gene had a remarkable ability ⁠to bring humour, wonder and heart ⁠into people's lives, and that connection has endured for generations."

Wilder is one of several late Hollywood stars to have been revived in some way using AI. Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher, Ghosbusters actor Harold Ramis and Fast & Furious star Paul Walker are among those to have had their likeness ‌replicated using AI.

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Since Wilder played Willy Wonka, the character has remained a recognisable figure in popular culture.

In recent years, the likes of Johnny Depp and Timothee Chalamet have portrayed the eccentric chocolatier, while, in 2024, a Wonka-inspired experience in Glasgow made headlines after it garnered widespread criticism for not delivering on its promise.

The attraction, which had been billed as a "chocolate fantasy like never before", was described by attendees as "shambolic" and "terrible", while images showing a near-empty warehouse location decorated with only a handful of props sparked the creation of dozens of memes.

(c) Sky News 2026: Voice of Gene Wilder recreated by AI for new Wonka-themed Netflix series