The carpet was, of course, chocolate brown, as cast and crew of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" made their way into Grauman's Chinese Theater for the film's Hollywood premiere.
Headliner Johnny Depp was greeted with screams from the hundreds of stargazers lined up across Hollywood Boulevard for the Sunday afternoon event.
But it was a pregnant Britney Spears, with husband Kevin Federline, who seemed to generate the most excitement. Clad in a tank top that read "I've Got the Goldent Ticket" with an arrow pointing to her growing belly, Brit and Kev were all smiles as they made their way past the screaming fans and photographers.
Other celeb attendees included actors Melanie Griffith, Martin Landau, Harry Hamlin, Jane Kaczmarek and her actor-husband Bradley Whitford. Most arrived with children in tow.
From director Tim Burton, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" is based on the beloved Roald Dahl novel about an eccentric chocolatier, Willy Wonka, who invites five young prizewinners into his factory. But for the spoiled, greedy children, the experience turns out to be more of twisted trick and than a sweet treat.
The novel provided the basis for a 1971 film, the cult favorite "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." But both Burton and Depp insisted "Charlie" is not a remake. Instead, they said, this goes back to Dahl's source material to come up with an entirely new adaptation.
For example, the character of Wonka, "came from where he came from, isolated himself...a bit of a germophobe," Depp told Associated Press Television News. "(He) didn't want to be around people but knew he wanted to be around people at the same time. I don't know, I thought he was kind of a shy guy."
Few would arrive with that description for the loopy but lovable character that Gene Wilder delivered in 1971. Furthermore, the new "Chocolate Factory" invents a back story for Wonka that doesn't even appear in the novel.
Star Freddie Highmore, who plays the title character "Charile," said the most critical difference between the two films comes with his character of "Charlie," the sweetest of prizewinners.
"Charlie is kept more pure in our version," Highmore said. "He doesn't drink the bubbly solution and go flying up into the roof. So I think it's better in that way in that he doesn't do anything wrong."
The film marks yet another collaboration for Depp and director Burton, whose credits together include "Edward Scissorhands," "Sleepy Hollow" and "Ed Wood."
"I think we formed some sort of strange religious pact," Burton joked. "No, we just . . . it's a form of blackmail we have over each other. No, I just love working with him. That's why."
"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" opens Friday.
In other Britney-related news, the pop star has donated a "generous grant" to Gilda's Club, a cancer support community for men, women, and children with any type or stage of cancer, and their families and friends.“When children have cancer, or when their parents or siblings have the disease, there are few places they can turn to for support,” said Spears. “Gilda’s Club is one of those places. I passionately believe in helping children in need, and so I am very happy to make this gift to help children learn they can cope with what can be a terrible and devastating experience for them.”
Through The Britney Spears Foundation, which is dedicated to helping children, the grant of $50,000 will support the Super Days program at Gilda’s Clubs. Super Days will provide a daylong program of support to children who are living with cancer to help them understand the disease, express their thoughts, feelings, fears, and questions about it, and to encourage family communication about cancer. Super Days will engage children in arts, crafts, and other fun activities that draw on their personal experiences with cancer, along with focused discussion.
“We are very grateful to Britney Spears for her most generous gift,” said Angelica Berrie, Chair of the Board, Gilda’s Club Worldwide. “It will improve the lives of hundreds of children who are living with cancer.”
Named in memory of the late comedian Gilda Radner, who died of ovarian cancer in 1989, there are now 20 Gilda’s Clubhouses in the United States and Canada that have served more than 32,000 people living with cancer.