Entertainment commentator Shane Bassett says Timothée Chalamet is “channelling Gene Wilder” and “fits perfectly” in his role as Willy Wonka in the newly-released prequel ‘Wonka’.

The ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’ prequel, Wonka, has now made over $US400 million worldwide.

The movie is expected to become the biggest hit of leading actor Timothée Chalamet’s career.

“I am a big fan of the first one too – Gene Wilder is amazing, but then Johnny Depp did a version, which I don’t regard at all,” Mr Bassett told Sky News Australia.

“Timothée Chalamet in the new one is channelling Gene Wilder, and it’s a prequel, so it’s before he had the chocolate factory, it’s before he meets the Oompa Loompas.

“I liked it, but I’m on the fence. I didn’t love it.

“A lot of people didn’t realise it was a musical until you’re in there for about five minutes, and then you know.”