Everything We Know About The Live-Action Peter Pan And Wendy Movie So Far
Everyone knows the story of "Peter Pan," whether they've read J.M. Barrie's original play or novel, seen the animated Disney movie, watched a different film adaptation (P.J. Hogan's 2003 version is worth seeking out), absorbed its plot though cultural osmosis, or some combination of all those things. It's a weird, whimsical, often retold fairy tale about the challenges of growing up and the inevitability of death that has only grown more blatantly problematic with time, all of which begs the question: Is there anyone out there who might have an original take that would justify revisiting this well again?
Well, how about the guy who only just adapted a weird, whimsical, often retold fairy tale into a magnificent fantasy epic about the challenges of growing up and the inevitability of death? Yes, "The Green Knight" filmmaker David Lowery is following up his eerie, dreamy, Arthurian myth re-telling with Disney's "Peter Pan and Wendy," a live-action take on the studio's 1953 animated "Peter Pan" film and Barrie's source material. Here's everything we know about the movie so far.
When and where to watch Peter Pan and Wendy
Unlike most of the House of Mouse's live-action remakes of its animated movies so far, "Peter Pan and Wendy" will debut as a streaming exclusive on Disney+. It's not the first re-telling of its kind to go that route, either; that honor belongs to the live-action "Lady and the Tramp," which premiered on Disney's streaming service upon its stateside launch in 2019. By comparison, 2021's "Cruella" split the difference by opening in theaters the same day it became available to stream on Disney+ for an added surcharge.
"Peter Pan and Wendy" was one of several live-action re-imaginings Disney announced it would send directly to streaming at its 2020 Investor Day presentation, and is now set to arrive on April 28, 2023. It's a little disappointing audiences won't have the option to catch it on the big screen, given how fantastic Lowery's work has been so far, including his 2016 "Pete's Dragon" re-telling. Unfortunately, in light of that film's relatively disappointing box office performance, it's perhaps not surprising the Mouse House elected against giving this one a theatrical roll-out.
The plot of Peter Pan and Wendy
The official synopsis for "Peter Pan and Wendy" reads as follows:
"Peter Pan & Wendy" introduces Wendy Darling, a young girl afraid to leave her childhood home behind, who meets Peter Pan, a boy who refuses to grow up. Alongside her brothers and a tiny fairy, Tinker Bell, she travels with Peter to the magical world of Neverland. There, she encounters an evil pirate captain, Captain Hook, and embarks on a thrilling and dangerous adventure that will change her life forever.
"In making 'Peter Pan & Wendy,' we set out to craft a film that honors both the original J.M. Barrie text and Walt Disney's animated adaptation," said David Lowery in an official statement. "We wanted to invigorate our retelling with emotional sincerity, an open heart, and a grand yearning for adventure. Hundreds of incredible artists spent many years bringing this film to the screen; I'm excited for audiences to see their work, to go on this ride, and to rediscover an evergreen tale from a new perspective."
The Peter Pan and Wendy cast
Cast-wise, "Peter Pan and Wendy" stars Alexander Molony ("The Reluctant Landlord") as Peter Pan and Ever Anderson (as in, Milla Jovovich and Paul W. S. Anderson's daughter) as Wendy Darling, as well as newcomers Joshua Pickering and Jacobi Jupe as Wendy's brothers John and Michael Darling, Yara Shahidi ("Black-ish") as Tinker Bell, Jude Law ("Captain Marvel") as Captain Hook, and Jim Gaffigan ("The Jim Gaffigan Show") as Hook's first mate Mr. Smee. Rounding out the film's ensemble are Alan Tudyk ("Doom Patrol") as Mr. Darling, Molly Parker ("Lost in Space") as Mrs. Darling, and relative newcomer Alyssa Wapanatâhk as Tiger Lily.
Speaking of Tiger Lily: David Lowery has assured that "Peter Pan and Wendy" removes the problematic elements of both the original J.M. Barrie novel/play and the Disney animated film, including the latter's racist depiction of Neverland's Native American tribe (which landed it a content warning on Disney+). By casting Wapanatâhk, it's already one-upped Joe Wright's "Pan" in that regard, too.
The Peter Pan and Wendy crew
David Lowery is directing "Peter Pan and Wendy" from a script he co-penned with his "Pete's Dragon" writer and frequent producer Toby Halbrooks. Joining the duo behind the camera is director of photography Bojan Bazelli, who also shot Gore Verbinski's "The Ring" and "The Lone Ranger" remakes, as well as his box office bomb turned cult horror thriller, "A Cure for Wellness." That only reinforces the notion that Lowery's re-imagining will have a gloomier yet wondrous aesthetic, similar to his previous work on films like "A Ghost Story," "The Old Man and the Gun," and "The Green Knight" (as well as "Pete's Dragon, to a lesser degree).
Other key creatives on "Peter Pan and Wendy" include Lowery's frequent composer and production designer (Daniel Hart and Jade Healy, respectively), and Ngila Dickson, the Oscar-winning costume designer who worked on all three films in Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. It's a pretty darn impressive lineup if I do say so myself.
Peter Pan and Wendy trailer
"Peter Pan & Wendy" introduces Wendy Darling, a young girl afraid to leave her childhood home behind, who meets Peter Pan, a boy who refuses to grow up. Alongside her brothers and a tiny fairy, Tinker Bell, she travels with Peter to the magical world of Neverland. There, she encounters an evil pirate captain, Captain Hook, and embarks on a thrilling and dangerous adventure that will change her life forever. The film stars Jude Law ("Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore"), Alexander Molony ("The Reluctant Landlord"), Ever Anderson ("Resident Evil: The Final Chapter"), Yara Shahidi ("Grown-ish"), Alyssa Wapanatâhk, Joshua Pickering ("A Discovery of Witches"), Jacobi Jupe, Molly Parker ("House of Cards"), Alan Tudyk ("Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"), and Jim Gaffigan ("The Jim Gaffigan Show"). "Peter Pan and Wendy" is directed by David Lowery from a screenplay by David Lowery & Toby Halbrooks ("The Green Knight") based on the novel by J. M. Barrie and the animated film "Peter Pan." The producer is Jim Whitaker ("Pete's Dragon"), with Adam Borba ("A Wrinkle in Time"), Thomas M. Hammel ("Thor: Ragnarok"), and Toby Halbrooks serving as executive producers.