Joe Wright is a filmmaker that I trust. His unique take on ANNA KARENINA was a very interesting way to approach such a complex story and his work on PRIDE AND PREJUDICE and HANNA shows how diverse of a director he can be. So, retelling PETER PAN in a way different than the dozens of previous adaptations is a challenge worthy of such a director.
After revealing the first images from Wright's origin story PAN showcasing Hugh Jackman as Blackbeard, we now have our look at the trailer for next summer's movie. This looks like a blend of every Peter Pan we have seen, especially the 2003 version from director PJ Hogan. Jackman looks like, well Captain Hook, and Captain Hook looks like Indiana Jones. The CGI looks good but I cannot tell if this is just a studio's way of telling Peter Pan in an age of rebooted and revisionist filmmaking.
There is no doubt this movie looks like a spectacle, but I am not entirely convinced the reboot route was needed. PAN looks like a damn fine Peter Pan movie that may have been made overly complicated for no reason. Still, I want to see Hugh Jackman join the ranks of Jason Isaacs and Dustin Hoffman as one of the best pirates in Neverland history.
PAN hits theaters July 17, 2015.