A few friendly reminders: remember to drink some water, look up from your screen every now and then, and don’t forget that Disney is still remaking its animated films into live-action movies. Maybe you forgot that last one. It’s okay. Disney didn’t forget you: Peter Pan & Wendy is the latest of these remakes, adapting 1953’s Peter Pan for people who like a little more flesh and blood in their fairy tales.
Here’s the summary, which sounds an awful lot like the original Disney film:
“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, she encounters an evil pirate captain, Captain Hook, and embarks on a thrilling and dangerous adventure that will change her life forever.
The trailer reinforces this, reproducing a lot of classic scenes from the animated original, like Peter (Alexander Molony) chasing his shadow around the Darlings’ bedroom, or Peter flying with the children on the way to Neverland over mermaids, and being shot at by Captain Hook (Jude Law).
Disney, however, bills the film as a “reimagining,” something this trailer only bears out in a few updates — like including girls among the Lost Boys’ number — with few alterations seemingly made to the plot. But there’s reason to be hopeful. Director and co-writer David Lowery has another Disney remake under his belt, the under-appreciated Pete’s Dragon, which is notable for both being gorgeous and an original retelling of the animated film it’s based on. Here’s hoping Lowery is able to bring some of that magic to Peter Pan & Wendy.
At the very least, it can’t be worse than (or better than?) the 2015 film Pan, which introduced its villainous pirate in a scene you’ve gotta see to believe.
Peter Pan & Wendy will premiere on Disney Plus on April 28.