Yara Shahidi explains how her Tinkerbell will be different in Disney's upcoming Peter Pan & Wendy. Disney has spent the past several years looking back on their animated classics and retooling them as live-action movies. The latest, Emma Stone's Cruella, is set to premiere in just a few weeks; it comes on the heels of those like Mulan, The Lion King, and Aladdin. Peter Pan & Wendy will serve as a new look at the 1953 animated movie, which was in turn inspired by J.M. Barrie's iconic novel. Directed by David Lowery, Peter Pan & Wendy will be released sometime in 2022 as a Disney+ exclusive.
Officially titled in January 2020, Peter Pan & Wendy has steadily assembled an impressive cast for its new tale. While initial reports suggested those like Joaquin Phoenix and Margot Robbie would board the film, the movie will actually star Jude Law as dastardly Captain Hook and Grown-ish's Shahidi as Tinkerbell. Relative newcomers Alexander Molony and Ever Anderson (Black Widow) will play the title characters, respectively, while Alyssa Wapanatâhk is Tiger Lily. Jim Gaffigan helps round out the cast as Smee. Production on Peter Pan & Wendy got underway earlier this year.
Shahidi appeared at the MTV Movie & TV Awards last night, where she dropped some new hints about her Tinkerbell. She spoke to Variety on the red carpet about what she loves about this version of the character: Her newfound agency. Shahidi said:
"Tinkerbell is really fun. I think what I like most about this take is that Tinkerbell is coming with a lot of agency, you know? She may be a famous sidekick, but I love the fact that she is driven and motivated in her own ways. I don't want to give too much up, but I'm really looking forward to this adaptation."
Shahidi was also pressed for information about how her Tinkerbell will look, to which she of course replied, "I can't say!" However, she did confirm she wore her costume recently. So far, only Law as Captain Hook has been spotted on the Peter Pan & Wendy set; it seems unlikely that Disney will release official photos of the cast until much later in the production process. Filming isn't expected to conclude until next month, and with a 2022 premiere date set, Peter Pan & Wendy is still a decent ways away.
Still, it will be quite exciting to finally see Shahidi in costume as Tinkerbell. Peter's jealousy-plagued fairy friend has factored into many stories over the years, but Shahidi's version from Peter Pan & Wendy promises to take Tink in a new direction. When it comes to Disney's many live-action remakes, they're usually better when they find new arcs to inject into the well-known tales; by giving Tinkerbell at bit more agency, Peter Pan & Wendy can put a new, positive spin on the overall story. Whether other characters will see some changes to their development remains to be seen, but Shahidi's update so far sounds promising.
Source: Variety/Twitter