I read where the name of the first movie (1971?) was changed from "Charlie" and the Chocolate Factory to "Willy Wonka" and the Chocolate Factory because of a promotion by the Quaker Oats Company. They had a candy bar coming out around that time called Wonka bars. They paid to have the movie's title changed to help promote the release of that candy. This might be the first time (and last) time in history that a movie was manipulated to promote a food item instead of the other way around.
As a side note: The candy failed due to a manufacturing flaw that caused the bars to melt at room temperature. Most of the bars melted int he wrapper on the store shelves. |