The live-action adaptation of Disney's Peter Pan and Wendy is on the way, and a lot has already been revealed about the film's story, cast, and release date. The studio began development on the project in 2016 as a take on the 1953 animated Peter Pan film. That feature itself is based on the same source material from J.M. Barrie's 1911 novel Peter and Wendy, which goes by other names as well. from a 1904 play. Disney announced the official title for Peter Pan & Wendy in January 2020, and there has been a steady trickle of news coming from the studio ever since.
As one of the most beloved stories of all time, there have been several Peter Pan adaptations over the years, including books, comics, and dozens of stage productions. On the film side, notable works include Steven Spielberg's 1991 film Hook, the 2003 adaptation of the novel Peter Pan, the origin story Pan and Wendy, a 2020 reimagining from the perspective of the main character. In total, it is clear that the interest in Peter Pan and his characters endures. Disney's Peter Pan and Wendy are coming soon, and the live-action Peter Pan remake is sure to breathe new life into Disney's version of the tale.
Disney was expected to update the original Peter Pan story for modern sensibilities, such as making the Lost Boys have girls in their ranks as well. On top of that, Peter Pan and Wendy will also do away with a lot of the racist stereotypes present in the source material that made their way into the Disney Original Animated Movie.
That's good news for Peter Pan fans who have been looking forward to the movie. Another major update to Peter Pan and Wendy is the series of posters released by Disney+ that include Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, the Lost Boys, and the Darling brothers. These have been the best looks yet at the cast and characters of Peter Pan and Wendy, and along with the live-action trailer for Peter Pan released in mid-April, much has now been revealed about how this latest Peter Pan movie will be reimagined. Disney+, both aesthetically and narratively: The classic but controversial animated version.
Peter Pan & Wendy premieres on Disney+ on April 28, 2023. The movie was originally scheduled to be released theatrically, but with filming delays over the course of two years, it was moved to the streaming service instead.
The creative team behind Peter Pan & Wendy is deeply tied to the Peter Pan story. David Lowery has been attached as director since the project's inception along with co-writer Toby Halbrooks. They've worked together before on Disney's live-action remake of Pete's Dragon and seem to have a great creative partnership. As co-writer and director, Lowery has said that the Peter Pan story is very close to his heart and that he wants to do whatever he can to make it right. This has meant numerous script versions and attention to every little detail.
The many revisions to adapt both the novel and the 1953 animated film are part of what has kept the film in development for so long. In particular, they will review the racist stereotypes about indigenous people from the original Peter Pan movie and update them for today. Not many details have been revealed about the changes, but casting a First Nations actress, Alyssa Wapanatâhk, is certainly a step in the right direction with Tiger Lily.
Although Peter Pan & Wendy began its lengthy development process in 2016, filming didn't begin until 2021, with reshoots taking place in 2022, so the trailer wasn't available to the public until March 2023. That trailer confirms some changes to the source material, such as casting decisions for Mr. Darling and Captain Hook. He also reveals that Lost Boys is more of a title for the boys Peter Pan surrounds himself with in Neverland rather than fact. Instead, several members of his friend group are lost girls. This is in direct contrast to J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan novel who decides that the girls are "too smart" to get lost in Neverland.
The latest trailer for Peter Pan & Wendy shows off more previously established plot points. However, it focuses much more on one character in particular: Jude Law's Captain Hook. The full live-action trailer for Peter Pan puts the epic duel and rivalry between Pan and Hook front and center, proving that this Disney reimagining won't lose one of the most endearing elements of the original story. What you see of Jude Law shows why he was cast as well, as he clearly took the Captain Hook character and made it his own.