What do “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Batman” have in common? Absolutely nothing in terms of content. The fantasy fun starring Johnny Depp revolves around the chocolate factory of the same name, which a group of children can visit thanks to the legendary golden tickets. And in Batman, the Dark Knight (Michael Keaton) brings justice by taking on the villainous Joker (Jack Nicholson).
However, there is a connection between the two films – and he has taken the director’s chair: Tim Burton (“Edward Scissorhands”). He not only staged “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, but was also responsible for directing “Batman”, saying goodbye to the eighties with a big pop culture bang. That there is an Easter egg in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” that refers to “Batman” is no longer surprising given Tim Burton’s personality.
Have you seen the hidden Easter egg?
You don’t have to look at Johnny Depp or Freddie Highmore, who stars here as Charlie, to spot the hidden reference to “Batman” in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Instead, you must follow Charlie’s father, played by Noah Taylor, to work. He works in the Smilex toothpaste factory. And the name of the company is sure to click a few “Batman” aficionados.
Why? Smilex or Smylex was the name of the poison gas produced by the Joker in “Batman” in 1989. This substance rises in green or sometimes purple vapor and causes people to convulse or laugh uncontrollably. The Joker also incorporated ingredients from Smylex into hygiene products in the film. If these are used in a certain combination, consumers become victims of the poison.
Incidentally, Tim Burton went back to Gotham City after “Batman” and performed a comic film adaptation with “Batman Returns” that was celebrated by many as a masterpiece, with which Warner Bros. gave him a free hand. So if you’ve gotten a little tired of the superhero cinema that always looks the same and follows fixed patterns, you should definitely watch 1992’s “Batman’s Return”. To which we will soon add Michael Keaton again as Batman in the DC blockbuster “The Flash”.