How many Peter Pan films could film fans need? 6… apparently six is the number. And this sixth edition is casting a net of diverse talent to the stage.
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In 1953, Disney’s animated Peter Pan sprinkled moviegoers with pixie dust, creating a Disney fan following for star characters such as Peter Pan, Wendy, the Lost Boys, Captain Hook, and Tinker Bell. Years later, in 1991, a live-action film inspired by Peter Pan was released called Hook, starring the ever-so-talented Robin Williams. After the first two Peter Pan-inspired films, we’ve seen three more Pan-inspired additions, including Peter Pan (2003), Finding Neverland (2004), and Pan (2015).
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Now, fast-forward to 2023, and Walt Disney Studios is keeping up with its never-ending trend of turning animated Disney classics into live-action films. The latest is the addition of Disney’s Peter Pan & Wendy. The official trailer, as shown below, for Peter Pan & Wendy has dropped revealing a diverse cast on screen:
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The new live-action Disney film Peter Pan & Wendy, a reimagining of the J.M. Barrie novel and the 1953 animated classic, is said to offer a chance to “experience the timeless adventure featuring the beloved characters like never before.”
The official plot and cast notes include:
“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.
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The live-action film remakes aren’t stopping at Peter Pan! We’ve already seen live-action remakes of Disney films including The Jungle Book (2016), Beauty and the Beast (2017), Dumbo (2019), Aladdin (2019), The Lion King (2019), Pinocchio (2022), and several others. Along with Peter Pan & Wendy (2023), Disney fans can also expect to see the live-action versions of The Little Mermaid (May 26, 2023) and Snow White (2024).
Ready to head off to Neverland? Peter Pan & Wendy will skip theaters altogether. The film will stream on April 28, 2023, only on Disney+.