Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is set to return in a new graphic novel, with Viking Books scheduling the release for April 6, 2027. The full-color adaptation is written by Insha Fitzpatrick and illustrated by Kitt Thomas, and its cover art has been unveiled.
Art director Kristin Boyle designed the cover and supervised the interior design. In a statement reported by Publishers Weekly, Boyle described the novel as a childhood favorite and said working on a new version of its world and characters was a dream come true.
The first printing is planned to include 50,000 hardcover copies and 150,000 paperbacks. The book is the first Roald Dahl novel to be published by Viking in graphic novel form and is being produced in partnership with the Roald Dahl Story Company.
Viking executive editor Dana Leydig said the publisher aims to offer Dahl’s stories in formats that can reach new generations of readers. She praised Fitzpatrick’s adaptation for carrying the original’s imagination, humor and joy into the new format, and Thomas’s artwork for conveying emotion through the characters’ expressions.
Fitzpatrick said she hopes readers will experience the story through Charlie’s perspective and connect with its themes of kindness and hope.
The graphic novel is not the only Wonka-related release mentioned for 2027. The animated musical comedy Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory, featuring Taika Waititi as Willy Wonka and Kit Connor as a new character, Charlie Paley, is expected to open in theaters on November 5 before arriving on Netflix in December.
Sources: Comic Book Resources.