Disney's upcoming live-action Peter Pan & Wendy movie casts Jude Law as the villainous Captain Hook. Disney has made a habit of remaking their beloved animated movies in recent years by giving them live-action makeovers. This strategy has proven to be financially beneficial for the studio, even if the quality of the films themselves has varied. One of the stories Disney is currently working on updating is Peter Pan, which was first released in 1953.
The live-action reimagining of the animated classic has been in development for years, with David Lowery signing on to direct in 2016 after also helming Pete's Dragon. Disney's attempt to tell another Peter Pan-focused story comes on the heels of Warner Bros.' Pan became one of the biggest flops of 2015. After not much news on Disney's take, Peter Pan & Wendy picked up steam at the start of 2020 and was in pre-production before coronavirus.
According to Variety, Disney might have found Peter Pan & Wendy's Captain Hook. The outlet shared that Law is in talks to play the main villain in the film. Law recently starred in Disney and Marvel Studios' $1 billion blockbuster Captain Marvel, where he also played the villain. If Law's deal closes for Peter Pan & Wendy, he will follow in the footsteps of Dustin Hoffman, Jason Isaacs, and Garrett Hedlund. The report also notes that the film is expected to be a theatrical release, and not a Disney+ rollout as previously rumored.
The addition of Law finally gives Peter Pan & Wendy a recognizable star in what should be a showy role. It was previously rumored that Joaquin Phoenix was being eyed to be Captain Hook, but Law's casting indicates that this didn't come to pass. Law is the first new cast member announced since Disney revealed relative-newcomers Ever Anderson and Alexander Molony will play Wendy and Peter Pan, respectively. This leaves the film with three of the four biggest roles cast, leaving Disney in search of a new Tinker Bell.
It's also worth noting that Law's casting should be a good sign of what stage of development Peter Pan & Wendy is in. After Disney shut down pre-production in March and had to delay their targeted filming date, the ability to secure Law should mean that they have a new schedule in place. Law is also set to appear in Fantastic Beasts 3, which was due to begin filming in March, so Peter Pan & Wendy could begin production after to fit his schedule. As long as no more delays happen due to coronavirus (which is far from guaranteed), it is possible Peter Pan & Wendy could begin filming late 2020 or early 2021 and be in theaters a year or so later.
Source: Variety