While the magic of Disney’s movies no doubt lies in their timeless stories, when it comes to the live-action adaptations of these classics the casting in these iconic roles also plays a large part. As we’ve seen in movies like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and even the forthcoming Mulan, a lot of attention is drawn towards the leads and the movies can rise or fall based on the strength of these performances.
It appears Disney has now found their leading actors for their live-action Peter Pan adaptation, with Variety reporting that Ever Anderson and Alexander Molony have been cast to play Wendy and Peter in the David Lowery directed film, which will be officially titled Peter Pan & Wendy. The pair could possibly be joining Margot Robbie and Joaquin Phoenix who were rumoured to be in consideration for the roles of Tinker Bell and Hook respectively.
If you exclaimed “who” when reading those names, you are not alone. The two young stars are not relatively well known at the moment with Anderson actually the daughter of filmmaker Paul W. S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich who starred as a younger Alice in 2017’s Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, and will similarly play a younger Natasha Romanoff in Marvel’s Black Widow. Molony meanwhile has previously worked on TV shows like the animated Claude and The Reluctant Landlord. Expect both these names to become more widely known though if this film proves as successful as Disney’s other live-action adaptations.
Along with the casting announcement and an official title, Disney also went on to release an official synopsis for the film which doesn’t appear to be straying too far from J. M. Barrie’s original creation:
In stifling Edwardian London, Wendy Darling mesmerizes her brothers nightly with bedtime tales of swordplay, swashbuckling and the fearsome Hook. But the children become the heroes of an even greater story when Peter Pan flies into their nursery one night and leads them over moonlit rooftops through a galaxy of stars to the lush jungles of Neverland.
There is no release date for Peter Pan and Wendy, though expect more announcements in the coming months now with the major leads in place.
Last Updated: March 13, 2020
Alban COURTY
March 15, 2020 at 00:03
For the Live-Action Peter Pan & Wendy movie, I hope it will show how Peter Pan cut Captain Hook’s hand before throwing it at the crocodile, how and where the crocodile swallowed the alarm clock; where does Peter, the lost boys, Captain Hook and the pirates come from before arriving at Neverland; and also how Hook became a captain. I wish that the aspect of Captain Hook, as well as his ship the Jolly Roger are based on those of Hook movie by Steven Spielberg.
Son of Banana Jim
March 16, 2020 at 10:24
Bludgeon me to death with a pan… is nothing sacred any more? What happened to all your creatives, Disney? Can’t you make new stuff any more? Is this the future? Are we going to get a live-action Lady and the Tramp too? Corona-chan, please end us all!
This has to be proof that not only has Disney become risk averse, they’re undeniably creatively-bankrupt too.
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