If you had to name a long-established and beloved fable that also was bona fide box-office poison, you’d probably think of King Arthur and Robin Hood before you got around to, say, Peter Pan. But if you looked just a little bit below the surface, you’d see the astonishing losses suffered by studios trying to bring the tale of the Lost Boys and the leader to the screen. Steven Spielberg, Joe Wright, P.J. Hogan (yeah, the guy isn’t exactly a household name, but Muriel’s Wedding is basically why you know who Toni Collette is): All failed, and took millions of studio dollars down with the pirate ship, using some pixie dust to make those fat stacks disappear.
The only successful one — barring stories about J.M. Barrie himself — was the 1953 Disney cartoon. If you can exclude Return to Neverland, they’ve had a pretty successful 70-year run with the character. Of course, they would do a live-action reboot, but it’s funny that they hired David Lowery, fresh off of The Green Knight, to direct Peter Pan & Wendy. If this were a theatrical release, that’d be a foreboding sign, but since this is a Disney+ release, he doesn’t have to worry about it flopping. You, however, will have to decided whether, based on this trailer, it’s worth your attention.
Peep it:
Well, at least Jude Law’s having a good time, just like Dustin Hoffman and Hugh Jackman did before him as live-action Captain Hooks. Here’s a synopsis, which essentially just tells you the fairy tale that you have quite literally known since you were old enough to read:
“‘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 Neverland. There, Wendy encounters an evil pirate captain, Captain Hook, and embarks on a thrilling and dangerous adventure that will change her life forever.”
Peter Pan & Wendy hits Disney+ on April 28. Also, did you know that Robert Zemeckis’ Pinocchio came out? We didn’t, and based on the absolutely crushing silence that star-studded affair received, we’re willing to wager that this one might get a similar reception.