Steven Spielberg Courting Gene Wilder for 'Ready Player One'?

I don't usually do two entries in a row about the same project, but this seemed like an exception to make.

With news coming last week that Warner Bros. had set a release date of December 15th, 2017 for the film adaptation of Ernest Cline's Ready Player One with Steven Spielberg directing, we now we have word of what legendary actor might be getting persuaded to come out of retirement to come onboard.

None other than Gene Wilder himself is rumored to be taking or has already taken a meeting with Spielberg about an upcoming film of his.

While it's speculated the project could be a voice role in the animated adaptation of Ronald Dahl's famed children book, The BFG, that movie's not only due out in less than a year but the full voice cast is already set. I would imagine the bulk of the work has already been recorded, which leads us to Ready Player One...

It seems fitting that for a book described as "Willy Wonka meets The Matrix", Mr. Wilder could in-fact be getting courted to play the vital role of James Halliday, the creator of the virtual universe of OASIS and the man who sets off a global search to find his hidden fortune from beyond the grave.

Now this is all pure speculation and the original story is nothing more than an unconfirmed rumor, but damn, if this is any hint of what Spielberg is aiming for, we might be in store for something pretty special.

We'll keep you posted on any more news about this project. Sound off with your comments below though. Would you like to see Gene Wilder - Willa Wonka himself (sorry Johnny Depp) - back on the big screen, in a Steven Spielberg movie nonetheless?

Source: AICN