Finding charlie and the chocolate factory toys is a weirdly difficult mission. You’d think that with a story this iconic—one that has survived multiple book editions, two massive Hollywood movies, and a West End musical—the toy aisles would be overflowing with Wonka Bars and Oompa Loompa action figures.
It’s not.
Most people expect to walk into a Target or hop on Amazon and see a wall of Wonka merchandise. Instead, you usually find a lot of "inspired by" candy kits and maybe a stray Funko Pop. If you're looking for the high-quality stuff, the kind of toys that actually capture the Roald Dahl magic, you have to dig into the vintage market or look at specialty boutique releases. There’s a massive gap between what fans want and what actually exists on shelves.
Roald Dahl’s world is dark. It’s whimsical, sure, but it’s also got that jagged edge of Victorian morality where bad kids get sucked into pipes or blown up into giant blueberries. Toy companies sometimes struggle with that. They want "safe." Dahl is anything but safe.
The Funko Pop Explosion and the Modern Era
If you’re looking for charlie and the chocolate factory toys right now, Funko is basically the only player in the game that keeps the brand alive for the masses. They’ve done a few waves, mostly focused on the 1971 Gene Wilder classic, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
You can find Gene Wilder’s Wonka, obviously. They also released Oompa Loompas, Grandpa Joe (who remains a controversial figure on the internet for staying in bed for twenty years), and the kids. The Veruca Salt and Mike Teavee figures are actually pretty great because they capture that bratty 70s aesthetic.
But here’s the thing: these are collectibles. They aren't "toys" in the sense that a kid is going to play with them in a sandbox. They sit on a shelf.
What happened to the 2005 movie line?
When Tim Burton released his version with Johnny Depp, there was a brief explosion of merchandise. Funrise got the master toy license back then. They made these strange, slightly uncanny action figures of the Five Lucky Winners. They weren't exactly "pretty." They were stylized to match Burton's pale, gothic vision.
If you find a 2005 Augustus Gloop in the original packaging today, you’re looking at a decent chunk of change. These toys didn't sell incredibly well at the time because they were, frankly, a bit creepy. But that creepiness is exactly why adult collectors hunt them down now. They have a specific vibe that modern "bland" toys lack.
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The Holy Grail: Mego and the Vintage 70s Era
Ask any serious collector about charlie and the chocolate factory toys and they will eventually bring up Mego. In the 1970s, Mego was the king of action figures. They had the DC Superheroes, Star Trek, and for a very brief window, they had the license for the Gene Wilder movie.
These are incredibly rare.
We’re talking about 8-inch figures with cloth outfits. The Willy Wonka Mego figure is legendary. It has the top hat, the purple coat, and that slightly manic expression that Wilder perfected. Because these toys were made of plastic and fabric that didn't always age well, finding one in mint condition is like finding a literal Golden Ticket. Most of them have "grey face" now—a chemical reaction where the plastic degrades over time.
- The Wonka Mobile: There was a die-cast version of the "S.S. Wonka" boat.
- The Candy Lab: Some early 70s sets allowed kids to actually make chocolate, though most of those kits are now just boxes of fossilized cocoa powder.
- The Oompa Loompa figures: Small, orange, and surprisingly sturdy.
Why are there so few modern toys?
It’s a licensing nightmare.
The Roald Dahl Story Company was recently acquired by Netflix. Before that, the rights were split between the Dahl estate and Warner Bros. (who produced the films). This meant that if a toy company wanted to make a figure of the book version of Charlie, they had to go to one place. If they wanted the Gene Wilder version, they had to go to another. If they wanted the Tim Burton version, yet another set of lawyers got involved.
Most toy giants like Hasbro or Mattel want a "clean" license. They want to be able to make everything. When the rights are fractured, the toys don't get made.
Honestly, the best charlie and the chocolate factory toys aren't even officially "toys." They’re the high-end statues. Companies like Iron Studios or various "art toy" creators in vinyl have done limited runs of Wonka that cost upwards of $150. These are gorgeous, hand-painted pieces of art that capture the twinkle in Wonka's eye, but you can't exactly give one to a six-year-old.
The LEGO Problem
Fans have been begging for a LEGO Wonka Factory for decades. There have been multiple "LEGO Ideas" submissions that reached the 10,000-vote threshold. So far, LEGO has passed on them. Why? Likely because the "Wonka" brand is seen as a "one-off" rather than a multi-year franchise like Harry Potter or Star Wars.
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However, rumor mill suggests that with the success of the recent Wonka prequel movie starring Timothée Chalamet, the LEGO Group might finally be looking at the IP. A brick-built Chocolate Room with a chocolate waterfall? It’s a license to print money.
The "Wonka" (2023) Merchandise Shift
With the release of the prequel film, we saw a shift in how charlie and the chocolate factory toys are marketed. Instead of action figures, the focus moved to "lifestyle" items.
- The Wonka Barbie: Mattel released a "Signature" doll based on Timothée Chalamet’s character. It’s technically a collector's item, but it’s the most "toy-like" thing we've had in years.
- The Funkos (Again): A whole new wave of Chalamet-inspired Pops hit the market.
- Plushies: Finally, some soft toys! We started seeing plush versions of the new Oompa Loompas (the Hugh Grant version).
The 2023 movie merchandise felt a bit more "polished" and "corporate" than the weird, experimental toys of the 70s or 2000s. It’s safer. It’s cuter. It’s less "Dahl-esque" and more "General Audience friendly."
Common Misconceptions About Wonka Collectibles
People often think that anything with the Wonka name on it is worth a fortune. That’s not true.
The "Wonka Bars" you see in gift shops? Those aren't toys, and they aren't rare. They are mass-produced candy with a licensed wrapper. The real value lies in the items that were produced in small batches or items that were "recalled" or discontinued.
For example, there was a series of "Wobblers" (bobbleheads) from the early 2000s. They were cheap at the time, but because so many people threw them away or the springs broke, a complete set in the box is now a centerpiece for a Roald Dahl fan's collection.
Also, don't be fooled by "fan-made" Golden Tickets on eBay. Thousands of people print these out and try to sell them as "original movie props" or "rare toy inserts." Unless it comes with a documented figure from the 1971 Mego line or a specific 2005 DVD box set, it’s probably just a piece of gold foil paper someone made in their basement.
How to Start a Collection Without Getting Scammed
If you’re actually looking to buy charlie and the chocolate factory toys today, you need a strategy. Don't just type it into Google and buy the first thing you see.
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- Check the Year: Anything from 1971 is top-tier. Anything from 2005 is "mid-tier" but rising in value. Anything after 2020 is likely a mass-market collectible.
- Look for the "NECA" line: NECA is a company known for high-detail figures for adults. They did a Gene Wilder Wonka that is arguably the best looking figure ever made. It’s expensive, but the quality is lightyears ahead of Funko.
- Estate Sales and Thrift Stores: This sounds like a cliché, but because "Wonka" toys are often seen as "just kid stuff," you can sometimes find the 1970s die-cast cars in bins of old Matchbox cars for fifty cents.
The market is fickle. When a new movie comes out, prices spike. Then they dip. If you want to buy, wait until about 18 months after a movie has left theaters. That’s when the "hype" buyers start clearing out their closets.
What to do next
If you're serious about hunting down these items, your first move should be joining a dedicated Roald Dahl or vintage toy forum. General marketplaces like eBay are full of "Propped" items that aren't authentic.
Start by identifying which "era" of the story you love most. If you’re a fan of the original Quentin Blake illustrations, look for the "Eden Toys" plush line from the 80s and 90s. They are the only toys that truly capture the scratchy, chaotic energy of the book's drawings.
If you want the 1971 nostalgia, save up for a NECA or a Mego. If you just want something fun for your desk, the Funko Pops are your best bet.
Check the bottom of the feet for copyright dates. A real 1971-era toy will have a very specific "Roald Dahl / Warner Bros" or "Wolper Productions" stamp. If it says "Made in China" in a modern font, you're looking at a reproduction.
Go look through your parents' attic. Seriously. The 1970s Wonka Mobile is small—it’s only about 3 inches long—and it’s easy to miss in a box of old junk. It might just be the most valuable thing in the house.
Actionable Insight: Before buying any "vintage" Wonka item, cross-reference the manufacturer name with the Official Roald Dahl Museum archives or specialized toy databases like Toyworth. This prevents you from paying "antique" prices for 1990s reproductions. For the best current deals on modern figures, set an alert on Mercari or eBay specifically for "NECA Wonka" to catch sellers who don't realize the current market value of the discontinued 7-inch line.