by Out this week, Peter Pan & Wendy once again reinvents this well-worn tale of the boy who refuses to grow up, his adventures in Neverland and long battles with the evil pirate Captain Hook.
Released in 1953, Disney’s animated Peter Pan is one of the most fondly remembered films from the studio’s original Golden Age, and the last to get the live-action treatment.
Not only does this nifty new feature promise to bring JM Barrie’s timeless story into a modern era – complete with more thoughtful depictions of some key characters than its outdated animated sibling – but it also promises to focus as much on Wendy Darling as her titular hero, in tights.
To know more: All live-action Disney remakes in development
With the film’s impending release on Disney+, here’s everything we know about Peter Pan and Wendy.
Peter Pan and Wendy release date
Peter Pan & Wendy will fly exclusively to Disney+ on Friday, April 28.
The plot of Peter Pan and Wendy
Peter Pan & Wendy is directed by David Lowery, the same director who has spent years keeping audiences guessing with his thoughtful and immaculate filmography.
From directing a previous Disney live-action adaptation in 2016 of Pete’s Dragon to bringing us the grim 2018 death tale A Ghost Story and the 2021 fantasy epic The Green Night, Lowery is a filmmaker who seems unafraid to shake things up. when it comes to viewer expectations.
As a result, his take on Disney’s Peter Pan will no doubt be different from many of the other adaptations before it – and there have been quite a few.
From Steven Spielberg’s Hook, released in 1991 and starring Robin Williams as a grown-up Pan, to 2003’s Peter Pan starring Jason Isaacs as Captain Hook and the character’s 2015 origin story he’s certainly had no shortage of trips to Neverland over the years.
While retaining much of the iconography of the Disney animated original (as seen in the film’s naval battle poster below), Peter Pan and Wendy shifts the focus to Wendy Darling, a young woman who doesn’t want to grow up. Luckily, she soon meets a young boy who promises to take her to a timeless land as she embarks on a colorful adventure.
Upon arriving at Neverland, Peter Pan introduces Wendy and her brothers to Tinkerbell, the Lost Boys, and the other denizens of this magical realm, before the group is forced to battle Captain Hook one-handed.
The cast of Peter Pan and Wendy
Newcomer Alexander Molony makes his film debut as Peter Pan, with Wendy played by Ever Anderson, a star you might recognize from Black Widow as a young Natasha Romanoff.
Meanwhile, Jude Law commandeers the most feared ship in Neverland as Captain James Hook, a pirate who has lost his hand to a starving crocodile. Black actress Yara Shahidi plays Pan’s loyal friend Tinkerbell, with comedian Jim Gaffigan playing Hook’s right-hand man Mr. Smee.
Newcomers Joshua Pickering and Jacobi Jupe play Wendy’s younger brothers John and Michael, respectively, while Molly Parker and Alan Tudyk play the family’s parents Mary and George Darling.
Another group of young actors make their film debut as the Lost Boys, with Cree actress Alyssa Wapanatahk bringing authenticity to the role of Tiger Lily, the warrior daughter of the indigenous tribe of Neverland.
The trailer of Peter Pan and Wendy
After a quick look at the movie in a sizzle reel from Disney+ showcasing their upcoming 2023 slate of projects, we got our first real look at Peter Pan and Wendy via a teaser trailer released in late February.
In it, we got to witness the scale and stunning imagery of Lowery’s Neverland.
Not long after, the film’s first full trailer appeared on YouTube, doubling down on the promise of astonishing attention to detail and plenty of nostalgic blockbusters.
Peter Pan & Wendy is streaming on Disney+ from April 28th.
