Exactly two months ahead of its April 28th release date, Disney has finally dropped the long-awaited trailer for their newest live-action adaptation, Peter Pan & Wendy.
Before reading on, you can check out the official trailer down below.
As the trailer opens, we see a disoriented Wendy, played by Black Widow‘s Ever Anderson, on the shores of Neverland. Covered in pixie dust, Wendy calls out for her brothers before being greeted by the Lost Boys.
Already, the trailer demonstrates several departures from its source material. Not only is Wendy’s introduction to the Lost Boys a bit different in the 1953 film — after they misguidedly try to shoot her out of the sky — but the Lost Boys themselves have received a makeover. The word “boys,” it seems, is used as a generalization for, as Wendy points out, they’re “not all boys”: in a modern twist, what was once a boys-only club has broadened its membership to include girls as well.
It’s possible that what the trailer shows us is the aftermath of what happens in the original film: perhaps, after falling out of the sky, Wendy has landed on the beach instead of in the forest. The pixie dust on her hands suggests that she has just been flying, and this context would explain her separation from her brothers and from Peter.
As the trailer proceeds, we meet John Darling (played by Joshua Pickering) and more Lost Boys who bring us into the their hideout which, much like the Lost Boys themselves, has received quite the upgrade from its animated counterpart.
Some clips are shown of a pirate ship — presumably Captain Hook’s Jolly Roger — flying over London before we finally see Alexander Molony’s Peter Pan in the Darling nursery. Clad in green and donning a hat, his outfit resembles the original Peter Pan we have all come to know and love. Beside him floats our favorite fairy Tinker Bell, played by Yara Shahidi.
The trailer briefly shows the chase for Peter’s shadow before the children all fly off to Neverland. With the help of Tinker Bell’s pixie dust, they leap off Big Ben and head for the second star to the right.
As the children fly into Neverland, we get to see its inhabitants. From beautiful mermaids to dastardly pirates, these are all things we would expect to see in a Peter Pan movie.
Then, the trailer pivots from the beauty of Neverland to the Darling home in London and Mrs. Darling, played by Molly Parker. The children sword-fight in the nursery as the loyal Nana watches on. This is a clear reference to the original film only, in this version, Wendy participates in the game as opposed to quietly watching on. Hopefully, this is a precursor to Wendy’s increased agency in the rest of the film.
In another departure from the source material, as Wendy laments on her unwillingness to grow up, we see flashbacks to Wendy’s childhood. This is confirmed by Alan Tudyk’s appearance as Mr. Darling sitting at the piano with a young Wendy.
We also get to see the Princess Tiger Lily (played by Alyssa Wapanatâhk, a member of the Bigstone Cree First Nation) and some of her tribe, as well as some better shots of Shahidi’s Tinker Bell.
As the trailer winds, a menacing hook prefaces the anxiously awaited introduction of the legendary Captain Hook as he walks menacingly toward a captured Wendy and the Lost Boys. Jude Law is nearly unrecognizable as the infamous pirate, but is sure to be a fearsome foil to Molony’s Peter.
The trailer ends with a montage of moments, among them Wendy swashbuckling against a horde of pirates aboard the Jolly Roger before Peter flies in to help save the day.
Based on what we’ve seen so far, it definitely seems like Wendy will at long-last take center stage in the film, exploring her character and journey at least as much as Peter’s (if not more). Regardless, we are surely in for a fun-filled adventure, complete with faith, trust, and pixie dust. Let us know if we missed anything in the comments below!
In Disney’s Peter Pan & Wendy, Wendy (Ever Anderson) and her brothers (Joshua Pickering and Jacobi Jupe) are swept away by the boy of their fairytales (Alexander Molony) to a magical land where mermaids and fairies dwell, pirates rule the sea, and children never grow up. The film also stars Jude Law, Yara Shahidi, Alyssa Wapanatâhk, Molly Parker, Alan Tudyk, and Jim Gaffigan.
The film is set to hit Disney+ on April 28, 2023.
