Apparently many see shades of creepy Michael Jackson in Depp's portrayal of Willy Wonka.

The longish black hair. The pale skin. The ornate suit jacket. The--how should we say?--less than traditional adult male speaking voice...One problem: "I think the casual viewer is going to see Michael Jackson." So says Patrick Lee, news editor of online's Sci Fi Wire. And chances are the casual viewer wouldn't disagree.

To be fair, Depp says he based his characterization on children's show hosts like Mister Rogers and Captain Kangaroo. Still, somehow I can't picture either of them saying, "Don't touch that squirrel's nuts!" Sigh.