Disney's 'Peter Pan And Wendy' Has Started Production In Vancouver

Disney has officially begun shooting Peter Pan and Wendy, another adaptation of the classic fantasy tale written by J.M. Barrie. With inspiration from the 1953 animated adaptation from Disney, director David Lowery (Pete's Dragon) is at the helm of this new take on the old favorite with Jude Law playing the dastardly Captain Hook.

Disney sent out a press release today announcing the beginning of production on Peter Pan and Wendy, which will be one of the many original movies arriving on Disney+ in 2022 rather than going to theaters. Here's the official synopsis for the movie:

Based on J. M. Barrie's novel "Peter and Wendy" and inspired by the 1953 animated classic, "Peter Pan & Wendy" is the timeless tale of a young girl who, defying her parents' wishes to attend boarding school, travels with her two younger brothers to the magical Neverland. There, she meets a boy who refuses to grow up, a tiny fairy and an evil pirate captain, and they soon find themselves on a thrilling and dangerous adventure far, far away from their family and the comforts of home.

Sounds like a pretty standard take on the Peter Pan story. There will be one significant change for one of the characters though, because Grown-ish star Yara Shahidi is playing Tinkerbell, marking the first time a Black actress is playing the character in a major production. As for the titular characters, Peter Pan will be played by Alexander Molony (The Reluctant Landlord) and Ever Anderson (Black Widow) is playing Wendy.

Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Darling will be played by Alan Tudyk (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) and Molly Parker (House of Cards). Wendy's brothers John and Michael will be played by newcomers Joshua Pickering and Jacobi Jupe. Comedian Jim Gaffigan will provide some comic relief as Captain Hook's sidekick Smee, and the Native American character Tiger Lily will be played by indigenous actress Alyssa Wapanatâhk.

In a statement, director David Lowery said:

"Peter Pan has long been one of my favorite stories, partially because I've always resisted growing up, but also because of the heart, adventure and imagination that makes J.M. Barrie's original tale so evergreen. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to redefine his iconic characters for a new generation – and even more excited that I get to do so with such an exceptional cast and crew."

Peter Pan and Wendy doesn't have an exact release date yet, but we'll see it on Disney+ sometime in 2022.