Stand-up comedian and actor Jim Gaffigan has brought his talents to Pixar’s Luca as the titular sea monster’s father. Gaffigan plays Lorenzo Paguro alongside Maya Rudolph, who voices Luca’s mother, Daniela. The odd couple add plenty of laughs to the animated movie, as they go seasick over their son’s decision to escape to the Italian town on the surface. And whilst speaking to Gaffigan, he gave us a tease about his next seafaring Disney character, Peter Pan and Wendy’s Smee.
A new take on the classic tale of Neverland is coming to Disney+ next year. In the film, Jim Gaffigan's Smee will stand alongside Jude Law’s Captain Hook. We’re certainly curious how this pair’s dynamic will play out in Peter Pan and Wendy. When CinemaBlend spoke to the actor, here’s what he said about the movie:
What I will say is it's directed by David Lowery, who’s done a lot of great stuff, but he did Pete’s Dragon, so I think he understands some of this. And to your question about the relationship [between Captain Hook and Smee], it’s not the same as the cartoon version, obviously. There’s a complexity to it that I think people are really going to like.
Peter Pan is a popular story that has been remade many times since Disney memorably made its own version in 1953. There’s Steven Spielberg’s Hook, the 2003 version from Universal and 2015’s Joe Wright iteration starring Garrett Hedlund as a young James Hook. As Gaffigan explained, there’s a certain new depth Peter Pan and Wendy will explore. As he continued:
There’s a complexity in all the relationships that remains authentic, but also is more grounded. In other words, there’s a reasoning behind Hook and Smee’s relationship, there’s a reasoning behind Peter [Pan’s] and everyone involved. It’s not a mystery solved kind of thing, but there’s a complexity to it that makes sense and is unique to this film.
It will be interesting to see how the live-action movie decides to explore these beloved characters in a fresh way. The movie also stars young actors Alexander Molony and Ever Anderson as Peter and Wendy and Black-ish’s Yara Shahidi in the role of Tinker Bell. Previously, director David Lowery shared this about his upcoming movie:
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.
Captain Hook and Smee have always been an entertaining pair to see in Peter Pan movies, but David Lowery's love for the story should allow him to update them in a new and interesting way for Peter Pan and Wendy. Meanwhile, the studio is also doing live-action versions of The Little Mermaid and Lilo & Stitch in the near future.
As far as Luca goes, the role was a different experience for Jim Gaffigan, considering the talents’ lines were recorded mainly during the COVID-19 lockdown. Gaffigan even told CinemaBlend that he and Maya Rudolph did not get a chance to work together in any capacity, despite their characters playing parents to Luca and being part of some hilarious moments in the movie.
Luca is streaming exclusively on Disney+ and has received positive reviews. Once you've watched the sweet, summer Pixar film, check out the director’s break down of the emotional ending here on CinemaBlend.
