Mendes 'planning Wonka musical'

Mendes' wife Kate Winslet worked with Depp (right) on Finding Neverland

Oscar-winning film-maker Sam Mendes is developing a stage musical version of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, according to reports.

The American Beauty and Revolution Road director is producing the proposed show with business partner Caro Newling, says the Hollywood Reporter.

Scottish playwright David Greig is to write the script, with Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman providing the score.

Published in 1964, Dahl's novel has already inspired two film versions.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, released in 1971, cast Gene Wilder as the eccentric chocolate maker.

The second, directed by Tim Burton, reverted to the book's original title and starred Johnny Depp as Wonka.

Warner Brothers produced that film and are reportedly behind the upcoming stage version.

Children's classic

Shaiman and Wittman previously collaborated on the musical version of Hairspray, filmed in 2007 with John Travolta and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Dahl's children's classic tells of a young boy who wins a tour of a mysterious chocolate factory run by the eccentric Willy Wonka.

The 1971 version won an Oscar for best original score and featured hit song The Candy Man.

It is not known if the new musical will feature any of the songs Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley wrote for that film.

It is unclear either whether Mendes will direct the musical as well as produce.

His recent work includes the romantic road movie Away We Go and stage productions of The Cherry Orchard and The Winter's Tale that ran in New York and London.