Honestly, it was only a matter of time. We live in an era where every single piece of childhood nostalgia is being dusted off, polished, and given a 4K digital facelift. For years, rumors of a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang remake floated around the fringes of Hollywood message boards like a ghost ship. Or, I guess, a ghost car. But lately, things have shifted from "wouldn't it be weird if" to "this is actually in the works."
It’s a terrifying prospect for some. For others? It's a chance to see that flying GEN 11 car with modern VFX that doesn't involve obvious matte paintings.
The original 1968 film is a fever dream. Let’s be real. It’s a three-hour musical epic about an eccentric inventor, a candy tycoon's daughter, and a car that transcends the laws of physics. It’s also the movie that traumatized an entire generation thanks to the Child Catcher. You know the one. The guy with the long nose and the cage who promised "free lollipops." If a remake is going to work in 2026, it has to figure out how to balance that whimsical Roald Dahl darkness with the sheer joy of a Sherman Brothers score.
Who is actually behind the new project?
The news isn't just coming from "sources close to the studio." It’s more concrete than that. MGM, which owns the rights to the original film (and is now under the massive Amazon MGM Studios umbrella), has been eyeing this IP for a while. The logic is simple: they want a family-friendly franchise that rivals Wonka or Mary Poppins Returns.
David Elstein and other industry analysts have noted that Amazon is hungry to mine the MGM library for "reliable" hits. Since Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is technically based on a book by Ian Fleming—yes, the James Bond guy—there is a weirdly deep well of lore to pull from. Fleming wrote the story for his son, Caspar, and the original novel is actually quite different from the Dick Van Dyke movie. In the book, the car is more of a detective tool and less of a magical vessel for a long-winded story told to kids on a beach.
There have been whispers about Peter Jackson being interested in the property for years. While he hasn't signed a contract, his production company, Weta, would be the obvious choice for bringing a steampunk flying car to life. Think about it. The textures. The brass. The ticking gears.
The Child Catcher problem
You can't talk about a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang remake without talking about the villain. Sir Robert Helpmann’s performance as the Child Catcher is legendary. It is top-tier nightmare fuel. In a modern context, how do you do that?
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If the filmmakers go too dark, they lose the "family" rating. If they make him a bumbling cartoon, they lose the soul of the story. There’s a rumor that the remake might lean closer to the stage musical version, which fleshed out the Baron and Baroness of Vulgaria into more comedic, almost vaudevillian villains. It helps take the edge off. But fans of the original want that edge. They want to be a little bit scared.
Can anyone actually replace Dick Van Dyke?
This is the big one. Caractacus Potts is a role defined by pure, manic energy and incredible physical comedy. Dick Van Dyke was in his prime. He was "Me Ol' Bam-Boo" incarnate.
Casting a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang remake is a minefield. You need someone who can sing, dance, and look like they haven't slept in three days because they’ve been trying to turn a junked racing car into a masterpiece. Names like Tom Holland or Ben Platt usually get tossed around by fans, but the role requires a certain "dad energy" that is hard to fake.
And then there's Truly Scrumptious. Sally Ann Howes played her with such a perfect, icy-to-warm transition. A modern remake would likely give Truly more to do than just be the love interest who happens to have a car of her own. We'd probably see her as a legitimate engineer or a partner in the inventions, which, honestly, would be a welcome change to the 1960s dynamic.
The music: To remix or to replace?
The Sherman Brothers wrote songs that stay in your head for decades. "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," "Hushabye Mountain," "Posh!"—these are foundational musical theater tracks.
The remake has two choices:
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- Do what Beauty and the Beast (2017) did and keep the classics while adding three new, slightly forgettable power ballads.
- Go full Wonka and create an entirely new musical identity.
Most industry insiders expect a mix. You cannot have a movie called Chitty Chitty Bang Bang without that title track. It’s impossible. It’s the brand. But expect some heavy rearranging. Maybe a bit more folk-pop, a bit less "marching band."
Why this movie matters now
Why now? Why a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang remake in the mid-2020s?
It’s the "Steampunk" aesthetic. Look at the success of various fantasy adventures recently. There is a massive craving for tactile, mechanical fantasy. In a world of CGI superheroes, a story about a guy who builds something with his hands—something that smells like oil and leather and old wood—feels strangely grounded.
Also, the theme of a father doing anything to keep his children’s imagination alive is timeless. It’s a story about poverty, creativity, and the escapism we all need when the world feels a bit too much like Vulgaria.
Practical hurdles and the "Uncanny Valley" car
The car itself is a character. In 1968, they built several working versions of the car. One was recently sold at auction for nearly $1 million. For the remake, the temptation will be to make the car entirely CGI.
That would be a mistake.
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The charm of Chitty is that she feels real. She rattles. She coughs. She has a personality expressed through backfires. If the new production relies too heavily on "digital doubles," the magic evaporates. We need to see real brass shining in the sun. We need to see real wings unfolding.
What to expect in the coming months
Production cycles for big-budget musicals are long. If the project stays on its current trajectory at Amazon MGM, we are looking at a potential late 2026 or summer 2027 release. They’ll want a holiday window. It’s a "Christmas Movie" in the same way The Sound of Music is—it just feels right when the weather is cold.
Keep an eye on official casting calls. That’s usually the first sign that the gears are actually turning. When a director is officially named—whether it's someone like Paul King (who proved he could handle the tone with Paddington and Wonka) or a newcomer—the vision will finally start to take shape.
Actionable steps for fans and collectors
If you are a fan of the original or curious about the new direction, here is how to stay ahead of the curve:
- Track the Rights: Keep an eye on Amazon’s quarterly investor calls. They often mention "Key IP Developments," and Chitty is a major piece of the MGM puzzle they are currently solving.
- Revisit the Source: Read Ian Fleming's original book. It’s short, punchy, and gives you a much better idea of the "bones" of the story that the remake might lean into for a "fresher" take.
- Monitor West End/Broadway: Often, a film remake is preceded by a high-profile stage revival to test the waters for modern audiences. The current touring productions in the UK are a good barometer for how the humor is being updated.
- Check the VFX Houses: Look for "untitled musical project" listings at shops like Framestore or Weta. They often handle the complex mechanical animations required for a vehicle-centric film.
The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang remake is a massive undertaking. It’s a high-wire act between honoring a classic and making something that doesn't feel like a museum piece. Whether it soars or stalls depends entirely on if they remember that the heart of the story isn't the car—it's the family inside it.