Peter Pan & Wendy director David Lowery opens up about his live-action reimagining of the classic animated movie, revealing that his film isn't a dark, gritty take. The trailer for Peter Pan & Wendy drew initial concern for not being as colorful as its animated counterpart. The upcoming live-action remake of Disney's 1953 animated classic Peter Pan, and is set to release directly on Disney+ on April 28. Peter Pan & Wendy stars Alexander Molony and Ever Anderson as the titular characters, with Jude Law set to take on the role of the dreaded pirate villain, Captain Hook.
As reported by GamesRadar, Lowery sat down with SFX Magazine ahead of the upcoming film's release, where he addressed concerns about the upcoming Peter Pan & Wendy and the assumption it would have a dark and gritty approach to the classic Disney movie. The director affirmed that his film is faithful to the source material, explaining that he feels that the film's use of practical sets and desire to create a version of Neverland that feels realistic and gave the impression that the setting was an actual place, before promising that the film isn't a twisted take on Peter Pan. Check out Lowery's full response below:
As a Peter Pan film, it's not going to surprise anyone who knows the original material.
It's very fun and it's funny. If it's grounded, it's only because we were trying to shoot on location, build all of our sets, and have everything feel like a real place. I always value the idea that Neverland is a place that a child could actually get to. As to whether it's a dark and gritty version of Peter Pan… it's not."
How Peter Pan & Wendy Updates The Classic Tale
Like other Disney live-action remakes including Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, Peter Pan & Wendy promises to be a faithful retelling of one of the company's beloved classic animated tales that will reintroduce the story to a new generation. However, much like other live-action remakes, the new live-action adaptation is set to expand upon the source material, giving new depth to specific characters who played smaller, more supporting roles in the original film. Tinkerbell will receive further exploration in Peter Pan & Wendy, according to Yara Shahidi, who plays the iconic fairy companion to Molony's Peter.
According to Shahidi in a 2021 interview, Peter Pan & Wendy's Tinkerbell will be given more agency in the live-action remake when compared to her original counterpart. The star highlighted that she enjoyed the further depth given to her character, explaining that while Tinkerbell is still a faithful companion who joins Peter on his adventures, the character has been expanded on in ways that see her have her own motivations and ambition that drive her throughout the film. Shahidi later praised Lowery's film after seeing it for herself, explaining that the director's film both expanded the canon of Peter Pan while simultaneously updating the original animated production.
Disney's live-action remakes have faced scrutiny as the company has continued to release more adaptations of their beloved animated classics, with many finding issues with how the remakes veer into more realistic visuals, rather than maintaining the vibrant, lively styles of the original. As such, the initial teasers and trailers for Peter Pan & Wendy have come under similar criticism, with many becoming wary of the muted imagery. Despite these first impressions, however, it is clear from Lowery's response that he hoped to maintain the tone and spirit of the original tale.
Source: GamesRadar