Netflix’s Wonka Show Uses an AI Gene Wilder Voice, and Viewers Object
Netflix’s new reality competition, Wonka’s The Golden Ticket, uses an AI recreation of Gene Wilder’s voice, and viewers have pushed back. The voice narrates the show and explains the rules to contestants. Wilder, who played Willy Wonka in the 1971 film, died in 2016.
The show premiered on September 23. The AI voice was made with ElevenLabs, a company that clones and generates human-like speech, as reported by The Tab. Karen Wilder, his widow, gave permission on behalf of the Gene Wilder Estate.
"We are delighted that Wonka’s The Golden Ticket celebrates the warmth and imagination that he brought to the role," Karen Wilder said.
Consent from the estate, not the actor
The estate’s approval did not settle the question for many viewers. Some argued that Wilder himself never agreed to have his voice recreated. Posts on X and Reddit expressed strong opinions, with some calling Netflix disgusting.
"No way could Gene Wilder have consented to that," one X user wrote.
Netflix has released the first seven episodes, and the final two arrive on September 30.
AI in Film and TV
The row adds to a wider fight over AI in entertainment. Netflix has used AI in 300 of its shows. Hollywood studios are turning to film schools for graduates who use AI video tools, as reported by Semafor last week.
ElevenLabs has also signed its first major-label music deal, licensing Universal music for a fan remix platform.