Audiences are about to travel to Neverland once more with Disney's Peter Pan & Wendy, the latest live-action retelling of 1953's beloved animated feature.
Based on the books by J.M. Barrie, this streaming exclusive will serve as only the latest remake from the Mouse House, though it comes with some established talent. Director David Lowery (Pete's Dragon) is on board to helm, and he's very excited to see this passion project being realized.
There’s plenty to know about this upcoming live-action film, so if you’re like us and you want to know more about Peter Pan & Wendy, here is what we know so far.
What Is The Peter Pan And Wendy Release Date?
Peter Pan & Wendy is set to release on Disney+ on April 28th.
Peter Pan & Wendy has been a dream movie for David Lowery for quite a few years now (as we'll discuss in more detail later). Now, it's finally coming to life. Originally the film was set to come out at some point during 2022, but was pushed back to the 2023 movie release schedule, so here we are now, only about a month out from when it is set to release.
Peter Pan And Wendy Stars Alexander Molony And Ever Anderson As The Title Characters
It's a very big deal to star in your own Disney movie. You're guaranteed an audience of millions — maybe even more — which is a hell of a way to get noticed at the start of your career. When it comes to Alexander Molony, the British child actor will make his film debut with Peter Pan & Wendy, Disney's forthcoming live-action remake of their beloved 1953 animated film.
Additionally, Ever Anderson, the daughter of Milla Jovovich and director Paul W.S. Anderson, will also star in this upcoming streaming title as Wendy, our other titular protagonist. Previously, Anderson made her acting debut in Anderson's Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, and appeared in Marvel's Black Widow.
Jude Law, Jim Gaffigan, Yara Shahidi, And More Round Out The Supporting Cast
In addition to starring Alexander Molony and Ever Anderson as Peter Pan and Wendy, the movie will also star Jude Law as none other than the malicious Captain Hook. The Oscar-nominated British actor is no stranger to playing famous literary characters, from Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts movies to John H. Watson in the Sherlock Holmes blockbusters. Law really knows how to throw himself into a role, and his villainous performance should be a lot of fun to watch. Likewise, in an inspired bit of casting, Jim Gaffigan is attached to play Smee, Hook's right-hand man...so to speak.
Additionally, to round out the supporting cast for this streaming exclusive, grown-ish star Yara Shahidi is on-board to play Tinker Bell, Lost In Space's Molly Parker will play Mary Darling, Wendy's mother, and Firefly's Alan Tudyk adopts the role of George Darling, Wendy's father. Also, Alyssa Wapanatâhk is Tiger Lily, while Joshua Pickering and Jacobi Jupe play John and Michael Darling, Wendy's younger brothers.
Peter Pan And Wendy Is A Live-Action Adaptation Of The Movie Of The Same Name
Obviously, if this is going to be a live-action remake, we all know that the film is going to be an adaptation of the Disney movie, Peter Pan, which was released back in 1953, which was an adaptation of the play, Peter Pan, Or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up by J.M. Barrie. According to the official Disney+ page for the film, the movie will follow Wendy Darling as she and her brothers are whisked away to Neverland by Peter Pan, a boy who “refuses to grow up.”
While she and her brothers are taken to this magical world where it feels as if no one ever has to grow up, she is faced with a thrilling adventure that is going to change who she is, including run-ins with the most vicious pirate captain of them all, Captain Hook.
Check Out The Trailer For Peter Pan & Wendy
If you want to get a peek into what the world of Neverland is going to look like, check out the trailer that was released for Peter Pan & Wendy down below, showing off our main cast members as they travel across the world of Neverland, our first look at Captain Hook, seeing Tiger Lily, and so much more.
The Disney Live-Action Remake Is Directed By Pete’s Dragon’s David Lowery
For movie lovers, it was an odd day when Disney announced that David Lowery would direct a remake of 1977's Pete's Dragon. The arthouse filmmaker behind Ain't Them Bodies Saints, A Ghost Story, and The Green Knight didn't seem like the type of artist who would work well with the world's biggest movie studio. But, to many people's surprise, Lowery's sensibilities gelled with Disney's brand of sentimentality.
Bringing an unsuspecting bit of soul and a unique perspective to the material, 2016's Pete's Dragon is the rare recent Disney remake that's not only good but arguably even better than the original. It wasn't a commercial success, admittedly, but it was a critical darling, and Disney liked working with the dynamic filmmaker, so he reunited with Disney for 2023's Peter Pan & Wendy. Hopefully, it's another successful team-up between the idiosyncratic storyteller and the family-friendly, money-making studio.
David Lowery Claims He’ll ‘Redefine’ These ‘Iconic Characters For A New Generation’ With Disney+’s Peter Pan & Wendy
There's no denying that Peter Pan is a timeless story. But, as it's been retold time and time again, one has to wonder what Disney's newest take on the material will do to make this version stand out — especially when 2015's Pan and 2020's Wendy and Come Away aren't too far in the rear window. While it won’t be long until we see David Lowery's vision for this project, he already knew how to hype it up so fans can get excited for this new live-action movie.
In a press release, the Ain't Them Bodies Saints director claimed his adaptation will "redefine" these "iconic characters for a new generation." That's quite a bold statement, but an encouraging one, too. Hopefully, the final product lives up to those lofty words.
Here's what David Lowery said:
Peter Pan has long been one of my favorite stories, partially because I’ve always resisted growing up, but also because of the heart, adventure and imagination that makes J.M. Barrie’s original tale so evergreen. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to redefine his iconic characters for a new generation — and even more excited that I get to do so with such an exceptional cast and crew.
While we’re still a little bit away from the release of Peter Pan & Wendy, here’s hoping that time will go by soon so we can all fly back to Neverland again. In the meantime, you can check out Peter Pan on Disney+.
