Warner Bros.‘Peter Panorigin movie,Pan, didn’t do as well as the studio was perhaps hoping for. But maybe Disney will have better luck. The film’s animated story of the boy who never grew up is the most successful adaptation of the original story byJ.M. Barrie, and now a live-action film is on the way. As the Mouse House looks to fill out its cast, a director has been named, and he’s the guy who recently helmed Disney’s upcoming remake ofPete’s Dragon.
According toVariety,David Lowery, also known for directing the indieAin’t Them Bodies Saints, will helm this new iteration ofPeter Pan. This would seem to bode well forPete’s Dragon, a film set for release on August 12th. Audiences haven’t seen much from the film beyond a teaser trailer, but this latest update would suggest the studio is pleased enough with his work to let him take over the reins onPeterPan, which also features a screenplay fromToby Hallbrooks.
There have been a number of efforts to bring animated fairy tales into the live-action space, but Disney has had the most success in this regard. Its most recent attempt,The Jungle Book, hits theaters this weekend and the early reactions from critics have been overwhelmingly positive. Elsewhere,Cinderellaearned an Oscar nomination for costume design,Alice Through the Looking Glasscontinues the mind-bending adventures of the titular heroine, and theAngelina JolievehicleMaleficentis in development on a sequel. Coming down the pipeline for Disney areBeauty and the BeastwithEmma WatsonandDan Stevens,Mulan,The Sword in the Stone,Winnie the Pooh, andDumbowith directorTim Burton.
StarringLevi Miller,Hugh Jackman,Garrett Hedlund, andRooney Mara,Pan’s worldwide gross ($128.4 million) didn’t even offset the production costs ($150 million). We’ll have to see from Disney’s attempt whether there’s still interest in this tale or if the previous film was simply a flop.
