I Watched A New A24 Thriller Streaming, And Umm… It’s Basically Willy Wonka

by

CAUTION: SPOILERS AHEAD! This upcoming piece discusses almost the entire storyline of the recent 2025 film “Opus,” so if you haven’t yet watched it, tread carefully as you immerse yourself in this unmissable cinematic journey.

In the realm of music, the intense devotion fans show towards their idols shouldn’t be underestimated, and this seems to be the main idea in the film “Opus“. The latest production from A24 and first feature by writer-director Mark Anthony Green, the movie stars Ayo Edebiri as Ariel Ecton, a reporter given an exclusive look at the release of the new album from beloved, long-absent pop star Moretti (John Malkovich). However, her suspicion grows that something suspicious is happening behind the scenes.

Eagerly looking forward to watching the latest horror flick on HBO Max, I was thrilled to finally dive in. It largely met my expectations, but had some surprising resemblances to an iconic children’s film that left me somewhat taken aback. Frankly, it feels like the storyline of Opus might have drawn inspiration from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Let me elaborate on that…

I Noticed A Number Of Parallels Between Opus And Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory

An eccentric and highly acclaimed celebrity re-enters the public sphere after years away, hosting an intriguing tour of his picturesque estate that he shares with devoted servants. During these events, some guests mysteriously vanish, leaving only our main character as the last one standing. In the end, Ariel uncovers a shocking truth: she has inadvertently kept Moretti’s lethal cult alive by recording their doctrines in her bestselling book chronicling her harrowing ordeal.

In my perspective, when I swap “servants” with “Oompa-Loompas” and alter the final sentence to, “By the end, I make the shocking realization that I’ve been chosen to keep Wonka’s business thriving,” we essentially capture the storyline of Roald Dahl’s classic novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which was notably brought to life in a cherished film starring Gene Wilder. To be honest, I didn’t mind that this reimagining, titled Opus, seemed more like a grittier adaptation of Willy Wonka (given the original 1971 film already had a fair share of darkness). In fact, it was one of the aspects about the movie that I found most entertaining.

Stream HBO Max for less

If you weren’t able to see Opus in theaters but don’t want to miss out on this extraordinary event, consider streaming it on HBO Max instead! For just $9.99 per month, you can enjoy an affordable ad-supported subscription – that’s a savings of $7 compared to their standard plan. Take advantage of this deal now!

Personally, I Would Rather Just Watch Willy Wonka Again Than Opus

I’d like to clarify if my opening reference to the “once-in-a-lifetime experience” associated with Moretti’s album premiere seemed overly self-indulgent. The intention was to uphold my customary practice of including spoiler warnings, as the term is frequently used in Opus when discussing the premiere as a “once-in-a-lifetime experience”. However, it’s important to note that, in my opinion, the movie itself falls short of such a description.

Although it delivers impressive performances across the board, particularly from Edebiri, and offers some appealing melodies thanks to Nile Rodgers and The Dream, it fails to fully capture an unsettling atmosphere that might have placed it among A24’s top horror films or at least spared it from being a rather generic critique of vanity and celebrity culture. In my view, it lacks anything particularly insightful to contribute to these themes and falls short in comparison to numerous other contemporary thrillers addressing cults, such as Midsommar or The Invitation, which have proven more impactful in this genre during the past decade.

If my unfavorable opinion doesn’t change your mind and the unique adaptation of Willy Wonka from A24 still sparks your interest, don’t hesitate to stream Opus on HBO Max and experience it for yourself. It might resonate more strongly with you and whisk you away into a realm of pure imagination.

Read More

2025-07-26 23:08