- Disney’s classic Peter Pan has been adapted into the live-action film Peter Pan & Wendy.
- Peter Pan & Wendy will be released on Disney+ on April 28.
- Disney released the official trailer on April 10.
One of Disney’s most beloved classic movies is the 1953 animated feature Peter Pan. A whole new generation of Disney fans will be introduced to the fantasy favorite in 2023 with the live-action adaptation Peter Pan & Wendy. The official trailer was released on April 10 and previewed the epic action to come. Peter Pan and Hook face off, and there’s also a glimpse at the one and only Tick-Tock the Crocodile!
Disney’s had major success by turning their animated movies into live-action films with the help of CGI technology. Tons of movies that fans have adored for decades like Beauty And The Beast and The Lion King have been introduced to a younger audience with new live-action adaptations.
The latest iteration of J.M. Barrie’s beloved 1911 children’s book will feature a veteran cast of actors, as well as a few new faces playing the Darling children, the Lost Boys, and of course, Peter himself. HollywoodLife has gathered all the details you need to know about Peter Pan & Wendy below!
Peter Pan & Wendy Release Date & Where To Watch
The new take on the movie will be released on April 28 on Disney+. The film will not have a theatrical release. You’ll be able to stream Peter Pan & Wendy any time you like — as long as you have a Disney+ subscription — starting April 28.
Peter Pan & Wendy Cast & Crew
Peter Pan is one of the most iconic characters of the 20th century, and there will be plenty of fresh faces playing both “The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up” and the Darling children. The Reluctant Landlord star Alexander Molony will take on the title role of Peter Pan. Ever Anderson, who played a young Natasha Romanoff in Black Widow, will play Wendy.
While Ever may be a relative newcomer, she does have strong connections to the entertainment business. Her dad is director Paul W. S. Anderson, who has made tons of action hits like Mortal Combat, Resident Evil, and many more. Her mom is actress Milla Jovovich, who has starred in tons of classics like Dazed and Confused, Zoolander, and The Fourth Kind. They’ll be joined by Joshua Pickering and Jacobi Jupe as John Darling and Michael Darling, respectively.
Of course, Peter Pan is jam-packed with memorable characters besides just the Darlings and Peter, like the Lost Boys and Tinker Bell. Yara Shahidi, who starred in Black-ish and Grown-ish, will play everyone’s favorite fairy, Tinker Bell! Another fresh face making her feature-length debut will be Alyssa Wapanatâhk, who will play the Native American princess Tiger Lily. The Darling parents will be played by Rogue One: A Star Wars Story star Alan Tudyk and Deadwood actress Molly Parker.
Other than the beloved characters, who could forget the villainous pirates in the movie, like Captain Hook and the comical Mr. Smee? Two-time Academy Award nominee Jude Law will be the latest actor to take up the Captain Hook moniker, while comedy veteran Jim Gaffigan will portray his klutzy sidekick Smee. Captain Hook was one of the most discussed roles in Hollywood, and it had reportedly been offered to plenty of other seasoned actors during development. There were reports that the part had been offered to stars like Joaquin Phoenix (per DisInsider) and Will Smith (via ScreenRant) before it ultimately went to Jude.
Peter Pan & Wendy will also mark director David Lowery’s second live-action adaptation for Disney. He’d previously directed 2016’s Pete’s Dragon. David also worked on the screenplay with his Pete’s Dragon co-writer Toby Halbrooks.
Production Timeline & Trivia
A live-action adaptation of Peter Pan was first announced in April 2016 via Deadline. It was announced that David would be the director as soon as it was announced. The film was given its full title in January 2020, via DisInsider, and filming was scheduled to begin in April 2020 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After nearly a year of delays, filming began on March 16, 2021, according to Comic Book Resource. Alyssa Wapanatâhk announced that filming had wrapped with an Instagram Story on August 14, 2021.
After the delay, Disney did share the teaser trailer for the movie in December 2020, which also told fans that the new movie would be available on Disney+. “Peter Pan & Wendy will be flying to #DisneyPlus. David Lowery directs an amazing cast including @YaraShahidi in the role of Tinker Bell and Jude Law as Captain Hook,” the company tweeted along with the teaser.
Peter Pan & Wendy will be flying to #DisneyPlus. David Lowery directs an amazing cast including @YaraShahidi in the role of Tinker Bell and Jude Law as Captain Hook. 🧚🪝 pic.twitter.com/U8tWoxxSOk
— Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) December 11, 2020
What We Know About The Peter Pan & Wendy Plot
Peter Pan & Wendy will bring the 1953 movie and J. M. Barrie’s story to life. The original story followed Wendy and her brothers John and Michael, as they met Peter Pan, on a night when their parents had announced that it would be Wendy’s last night in the nursery and that she’d needed to grow up. Peter arrived in the middle of the night and helped the children fly away to Neverland, where they meet the Lost Boys, and a wide cast of other characters, including some (now well-known to be problematic) Native Americans, mermaids, and of course, pirates. The pirates eventually capture the Darlings and the Lost Boys, after trying to kill Peter. Peter flies in to save the day, and the kids face off with the pirates, eventually taking over the ship and flying back to London, where Mr. Darling has decided that Wendy can stay in the nursery for some time longer.
The official synopsis for Peter Pan & Wendy reads: “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 Never Land. There, she encounters an evil pirate captain, Captain Hook, and embarks on a thrilling and dangerous adventure that will change her life forever.”
The first trailer that was released in February 2023 showed what the live-action film will be about. It shows Wendy Darling meeting the Lost Boys, including Peter Pan, in Neverland. “What do you say boys? Are you ready for an adventure?” Wendy says to her brothers as they travel to Neverland. The trailer also features Yara’s Tinker Bell, who helps the Darlings go to Neverland. We also catch a glimpse of Jude’s Captain Hook, who approaches the Darlings with a sword, searching for Peter Pan.
This year, return to Neverland. ✨ Watch the trailer for #PeterPanAndWendy and stream the movie event April 28 only on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/c6BCiaAwmP
— Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) February 28, 2023
While the original movie is still regarded as a classic for Disney Animation, hindsight has shown that the portrayal of Native Americans was incredibly problematic. Disney seems to have taken the past portrayal into account with the new movie. Alyssa Wapanatâhk is an indigenous actress playing the part, and a report showed that Disney was seemingly giving Tiger Lily a bigger role in the movie, more so than the “damsel in distress” that she was in the original, according to DisInsider. “Tiger Lily is indigenous to Neverland with a bow at her back, she is both a fierce warrior and a serene and benevolent leader who protects Neverland and the lost boys and girls from the dastardly Captain Hook. This character will speak in both English and a native language,” a character breakdown said.
The Peter Pan & Wendy stars discussed their experience starring in the upcoming film at the D23 Expo in September 2022, according to Variety. “It’s been really amazing to be able to play Wendy,” Ever said. “Wendy and Peter are equals in this film,” she added. Jude Law, who plays Captain Hook, said, “We got to mine their backstory a little more and try to know their past, when they were friends. It was nice to layer in that understanding of why Hook is so iconic.”