Peter Pan,
his fellow characters, and the setting of
Neverland have appeared in many works since the original books and
1904 play by
J. M. Barrie. The earliest were the stage productions of the play, and an adaptation to
silent film, done with Barrie's involvement and personal approval. Later works were authorised by
Great Ormond Street Hospital, to which Barrie gave the rights to the Peter Pan works; these include adaptations of the main story in both
animated and
live-action films,
musical stage productions, and a
sequelnovel. In addition, there have been numerous uses of Barrie's characters, settings, and storylines which challenged or took advantage of the changing
copyright status of these elements, including reinterpretations, sequels,
prequels, and
spin-offs in a variety of media, including film, television series, and books.
When dramatised, the character of Peter has usually been played by an adult woman. For boys' roles to be played by women is a convention of the
pantomime tradition that was popular when the play was first produced, and was necessitated by laws restricting the use of child actors for evening performances. Later adaptations have often followed this example, for reasons that include tradition, the performance demands of the role, and the marketing advantages of "star" actresses. The roles of
Captain Hook and
George Darling happened to be played by the same actor in the original production, a tradition which has sometimes been continued in later dramatic adaptations.
Books and other publications
Original works
1904 – Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up (play): Peter brings Wendy and her brothers to Neverland, where he has a showdown with his nemesis, Captain Hook. After the play was first staged in 1904, Barrie continued to make changes until the script was published officially in 1928.[1] This play was later adapted as a novel by Barrie
1906 – Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens: an origin story where the infant Peter flies away from his home, takes up residence in Kensington Gardens and makes friends with the fairies. The story first appeared as a chapter in Barrie's The Little White Bird published in 1902
1908 – When Wendy Grew Up – An Afterthought, a short sequel play first staged in 1908, but only published in book form in 1957
1911 – Peter and Wendy (novel), later published as Peter Pan and Wendy, adapted as a novel from the play, it also incorporates events from When Wendy Grew Up – An Afterthought
1928 - Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up, the first publication of the script of the play
Literary fiction, picture books and other publications
The Peter Pan Picture Book (sometimes entitled The Story of Peter Pan), retold by Daniel O'Connor, illustrated by
Alice B. Woodward (1907),[2] based on the original stage production of 1904. The text was also published as Peter Pan Keepsake but illustrated with photographs from the first productions.[3] It is the first novelisation of the play and also the first illustrated version of the story. This version differs from Barrie's own 1911 novelisation because he had made several changes to his play and story since it was first staged in 1904
Peter Pan and Wendy, retold by
May Byron (1915), authorized novelisation of the novel, later illustrated by
Mabel Lucie Attwell in 1921. It was the first time that this form of the title was used, later reused also for Barrie's own novel
Peter Pan and the Only Children by
Gilbert Adair (1987), an unauthorised sequel/prequel novel. This book is written and presented in a format similar to Peter and Wendy, with bound-in colour illustrations by Jenny Thorne. It has Peter living with a different gang of Lost Boys under the ocean, recruiting "only children" who jump from passing ships as new members, including the newest: 10-year-old Marissa Porter. They have adventures under the sea, including a duel with Captain Hook which ends indecisively. The narrator suggests at the end that perhaps this is a prequel to the adventure with Wendy Darling, or they take place without sequence. Adair's previous novel was Alice through the Needle's Eye, a sequel to the
Alice in Wonderland stories
Neverland by Toby Forward (1989), first of the cancelled Neverland series where Peter Pan, Captain Hook etc. are brought back to life through a computer game. Published by Simon & Schuster when Peter Pan first entered the public domain in the UK, before the copyright was revived in 1995
After the Rain: A New Adventure for Peter Pan by J. E. Somma (1999), an unauthorised sequel novel. Set in modern times, telling of Peter's reaction to a world that has grown to neglect him, and his rescue by three children who teach him that it's OK to grow up. It was published without incident in Canada, where the copyright to Peter Pan was generally agreed to have expired, but Somma and GOSH were in legal dispute when it was published in the U.S. in 2002, where GOSH claimed their copyrights were still valid. They eventually settled out of court[4]
Neverland: The Early Adventures of Peter Pan by R. Scott Leatherwood (2001), an unauthorized
prequel novel, to
Peter and Wendy that aims to answer those seventeen questions that haven't been addressed.
[1]
Wendy by Karen Wallace (2003), an unauthorised
prequel for
young adults. An attempt to explain the Darling children's willingness to fly away with Peter on the grounds that their home life, up until shortly before Peter appeared, had been filled with abuse and tragedy: a cruel
nanny, a criminally irresponsible father, and a suggestion of insanity in the family
Jardines de Kensington (translated into English as "Kensington Gardens") by
Rodrigo Fresán (2003), interweaves the story of Peter Pan, his creator JM Barrie, and various aspects of 1960s London pop culture. The narrator is called "Peter Hook"[5]
The Lost Girls: A Novel by Laurie Fox (2004), an unauthorised sequel novel. Follows the interaction of Peter Pan with each generation of
Wendy Darling's female descendants, up to a distinctly 21st-century great-great-granddaughter. Published by
Simon & Schuster
Peter and the Starcatchers (2004).[10] Set on a ship called Never Land featuring Peter and an earlier group of
Lost Boys. In 2005, the publisher announced plans by Disney to adapt the book as a digitally animated movie. "Peter and the Starcatchers" was adapted to a play similarly titled "Peter and the Starcatcher" winning several Tony awards[11]
Twenty-three years since Peter and the Lost Boys returned from Rundoon.[14]
The Bridge to Never Land (2011). Sarah and Aidan are drawn from the modern world as they follow clues left by an ancient coded document[15]
The "
Never Land Books" by Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson, Greg Call (ill.), a series of unauthorised spin-off
chapter books. Based on the continuity established by the "Starcatchers" novels, for a younger audience
Capt. Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth by
James V. Hart (co-writer of the movie Hook),
Brett Helquist (ill.) (2005), an authorised (non-canon) prequel illustrated novel, published by HarperCollins in the US. Details the history of 15-year-old James Matthew, young
Oppidan Scholar and future Captain Hook. The book portrays the villainous youth in a sympathetic light
The
Disney Fairies books by
Gail Carson Levine,
David Christiana (ill.), a series of spin-off illustrated novels for children. Part of the
Disney Fairies franchise, published by
Disney Press in the US and HarperCollins in the UK. Introduces a new cast of "Never Fairies", in addition to
Tinker Bell. Peter Pan and Captain Hook are mentioned but play very minor roles. Additional
chapter books in the series are intended for younger readers, and were written by various authors, focusing on the different characters invented by Levine[20]
Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg (2005)
Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand (2007)
Peter Pan in Scarlet by
Geraldine McCaughrean (2006), the official sequel novel, commissioned by Great Ormond Street Hospital following a competition launched in 2004. It has been sold in 40 different editions in 37 languages. The book is published by Oxford University Press in the UK and Margaret K McElderry (Simon & Schuster) in the US[21]
Peter Pan's NeverWorld by
Peter Von Brown (2008) an unofficial sequel set presumably in
contemporary times. Based upon Sir J. M. Barrie's idea to expand the adventures of Peter Pan with his genuine unused notes and unfinished drafts concerning Peter Pan's younger brother.
[2]
The Wendy That Stayed by A.M. Bell (2008). Originally an
Ebook follow up to events straight after
Peter and Wendy.
[4]
The Child Thief by artist
Gerald Brom (2009), an
new adult illustrated novel reinterpreting Peter Pan based on the darker themes in the story as a ruthless figure recruiting children to serve toward his own ends
Another Pan by Daniel Nayeri and Dina Nayeri (2010), a darker version featuring an 18-year-old Peter Pan searching for the magic bone dust so he will never grow old. Characters also include Wendy, John and their father George Darling[22]
Always Neverland by Zoe Barton (2011). Ashley is to be another in a long series of "Wendy girls" Peter brings to Neverland, but she is more interested in adventuring[23]
The Adventures of Peter Pan Series by David Earl set during the events after
Hook in which an elderly Peter Pan finds himself up against the son of
Captain Hook.
Son of Hook (2014)
The Secret of Skeleton Bay (2014)
Dylan and the Dream Pirates by Jason Andrew (2012). First of a
postponedDreamland serial an
Ebook set in
contemporary times in which a
bereaved Dylan must find a cure to a magical plague like curse called The Taint.
Second on the Right by Elizabeth Los (2012). An
alternate historyorigin of James Hook who must rescue his son from becoming the latest host body to Pan.
Tiger Lily by
Jodi Lynn Anderson (2013). The story of fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily who becomes enthralled and entangled in the life of Peter Pan, told from the perspective of Tinker Bell[24]
Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen (2014). Captain Hook is caught in an endless loop of warring with Peter Pan until a woman named Stella Parrish dreams her way into Neverland and begins to change things
The Fall of Peter Pan by K.L. Webber (2014). First of a
postponedThe Neverland Chronicles serial an
Ebook adapted from Sir J. M. Barrie's genuine earlier discarded writtings to create a different take to the original text of
Peter and Wendy.
Hook's Revenge Series by Heidi Schulz, a humorous adventure series about the 12-year-old daughter of Captain Hook on a quest to avenge her father's death[25]
Essence of Neverland by Juna Jinsei Dr (2015). First of Legends of the Pantrilogy where following Peter Pan being slain, prompts a race to find a replacement for him fast to save
Neverland.
[9]
Lost Boi by
Sassafras Lowrey (2015). A novel for adults retelling the story through the lens of homeless queer youth with prominent
BDSM themes. Told from the point of view of Tootles, "Pan's best boi"[28]
Peter Pan part of the urban-toons series by Antoinette Truitt and King Ki'el (2015), featuring
facsimiles of
J. M. Barrie's characters that depicts Peter Pan as leader of a group of escaped runaway child slaves.
All Darling Children by Katrina Monroe (2016). A
young adult re-telling told from the perspective of Madge Darling;
Wendy Darling's teenage granddaughter.
[10]
The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up: An Unofficial Sequel To Peter & Wendy by Burgandi Rakoska (2016). A hospital child patient is whisked away to
Neverland.
[11]
The Neverland Wars by Audrey Greathouse (2016). First of the The Neverland Warstrilogy where an outside worldly organization goes to war with
Neverland. Sixteen-year-old Gwen is caught up in a looming war in Neverland.[31]
Silver Scars: A Peter Pan Twist by Renata Marie (2016).
Reality and
Fantasy collides when Kyle Darling and his parents are kidnapped, Adela Nora Darling must uncover the truth behind the story of
Neverland and
Peter Pan.
Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell (2016), Gwendolyn's mother's fears are proven right when shadowy creatures kidnap her and her best friend Olivia to a terrifying place to Neverland, where Peter Pan and Hook compete for her trust.
GoodreadsISBN1481432044</ref>
Never Ever Series by Sara Saedi loosely based on Peter Pan. Wylie meets Phinn in a club and he whisks her and her brother off to a magical island where no one ages past seventeen[32]
Never Ever (2016)
The Lost Kids (2018)
Lost Boy (2017). In Neverland, Jamie, one of Peter Pan's Lost Boys, grows disenchanted with his leader.
Pan by Maggie Stewart (2017). A
contemporaryEbook tale of a teenage girl who meets someone who might be
Peter Pan.
Peter Darling by Austin Chant (2017), a romance between an adult Peter Pan (who is a
transgender man born as "Wendy") and Captain Hook.[33] Winner of the 2017 Rainbow Award for best cover and best transgender science fiction/fantasy[34]
You Can Fly: A Sequel to the Peter Pan Tales by Chuck Rosenthal (2017). On the eve of his thirteenth birthday, Thomas Pandora discovers the truth about his family legacy.
[14]
Lost Girl by R.M. Archer (2018). Following the exploits of Nya, the granddaughter of Captain Hook and her relationship with Peter Pan.
Nightmare of Neverland by Todd Feren (2018). First of the
postponedThe Nightmare series serial featuring nightmarish
caricatures of well known literary characters.
The Pirate Princess Chronicles Series by R.V. Bowman, a
trilogy adventure series featuring the long lost daughter of
Captain Hook. Currently being adapted into a
live action TV series
[15]
Hook's Daughter: The Untold Tale of a Pirate Princess (2018)
Pan's Secret: A Pirate Princess's Quest for Answers (2019)
Neverland's Key: A Pirate Princess's Last Chance (2019)
Darling: Never Ever Neverland by K.T. Hanna (2019). Following events of
Peter and Wendy,
Wendy Darling must come to the aid of orphans who are being recruited into a thieving ring.
Forever Neverland by Susan Adrian (2019). A contemporary sequel to J. M. Barrie’s timeless classic featuring the great-great-grandchildren of
Wendy Darling.
[16]
The Never: A Tale of Peter and the Fae by Don Jones (2019). An alternative
origin story to the creation of
Neverland and the arrival of Peter Pan.
[17]
Dead Lies Dreaming by
Charles Stross (2020). A
pastiche of Peter and Wendy, taking place in Stross'
Laundry Files setting. It is first in the Tales of the New Management trilogy[35]
Neverland: A Fantasy Role-playing Setting, written and illustrated by Andrew Kolb (2020).
Straight on Till Morning by
Liz Braswell (2020). Four years after her original adventure, 16-year-old old Wendy joins with
Tinker Bell in rescuing Peter from Hook. Part of the Twisted Tale Series from the Disney Book Group[36]
Lost by Nicholle Pugmire (2021). In this
re-telling Winnifred Elizabeth Darling finds herself on a ship full of
Lost Ones unsure of how she got there or how to get home.
The Neverland Girl by Dash Hoffman and illustrated by El Geron (2021).
Reality and
Fantasy collides when a sickly girl with a life long illness seems to find herself in Neverland.
[18]
Son of Neverland by
Cal Barnes (2021). An epic fantasy sequel taking exactly one hundred years after Peter Pan and Hook's final battle.[37]
Forgotten by Nicholle Pugmire (2022). A follow on to Lost in which one
Lost Boy seeks to get back to the
Never.
Petra: A Novel Based On The Peter Pan Universe by Miranda R Urena and illustrated by James A Knox (2022), a contemporary re-telling featuring Peter Pan's younger sister.
The Lost Girl by Allison Spooner (2023). Great granddaughter of Peter Pan; Lady Pan is dying of a
terminal illness unless
Neverland can save her.
[19]
Saving Neverland by Abi Elphinstone (2023). A contemporary sequel to J. M. Barrie’s timeless classic featuring the newest residents to
12 Darlington Street Road the old address of
Wendy Darling who encounter Peter Pan.
[20]
Peter Pank by Spanish cartoonist "Max" (
Francesc Capdevila) (1985–1990), an unauthorised comic reinterpretation for "adults only". Peter is a violent, spiked-hair anarchist living in Punkland with a gang of punk Lost Boys. The pirates are a gang of rockers, the Indians are hippies, and the female characters are often depicted bare-breasted, with numerous sexual scenes. It was published in three albums: Peter Pank, El Licantropunk, and Pankdinista
Peter Pan: Return to Never-Never Land by
Ron Fortier and Gary Kato (1991), an unauthorised sequel. Peter brings two modern African-American boys to Never-Never Land, published by
Malibu Comics under the Adventure Comics imprint, two issues later reprinted in a single volume[39][40]
The Lost by
Marc Andreyko, Galen Showman, and Jay Geldhof (1997), an unauthorised sequel comic book. This urban horror-themed mini-series published by
Caliber Comics and
Chaos! Comics continues the story in present-day New York City, with Peter revealed as a
vampire boy
hustler who leads a small group of vampire boys including
Michael, and lures another girl named Wendy to join them
Lost Boys (ロストボーイズ) by Kaname Itsuki (2004), an unauthorised
manga reinterpretation, in which a character based on Peter Pan brings a young man to Neverland to be his father, with
romantic themes
Peter Panzerfaust by
Kurtis J. Wiebe (2012 - 2016), a retelling of the story of Peter Pan, set in France during World War II. Peter, an American boy looking for his past in France at the outbreak of the Second World War, recruiting several orphans (The Lost Boys), saving the Darling children and coming across SS-Hauptmann/Kapitan Haken
Peter Pan – The Graphic Novel by
Stephen White (2015), a retelling of the original work in graphic novel form[42]
Pan Peter by Jang Maro, a
Tapas-exclusive
manhwa that retells the character as a mysterious, magic boy who avenges the weak by torturing and killing the aggressors[43]
Fifty Years of Peter Pan by
Roger Lancelyn Green is an account of the first 50 years in Peter Pan's stage history[44]
J.M. Barrie and The Lost Boys by
Andrew Birkin is an account of the meeting and relationship between Barrie and the
Llewelyn Davies family, and how Peter Pan came to be created, based on his docudrama
The Lost Boys broadcast in 1978[45]
Dr. Dan Kiley popularised the
Peter Pan syndrome in his 1983 book, The Peter Pan Syndrome: Men Who Have Never Grown Up,[46] about individuals (usually male) with underdeveloped maturity; his next book, The Wendy Dilemma (1984), advises women romantically involved with "Peter Pans" how to improve their relationships[47]
Peter Pan on Stage and Screen, 1904–2010 by Bruce Hanson covers the genesis of Peter Pan and its productions in the UK and US; updated edition of Hanson's work The Peter Pan Chronicles, published in 1993[48]
Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up (1904). Although Barrie did not intend the play as a
pantomime, it has many features in common with this traditional genre of British children's theatre: a boy – played by a woman – as the lead role (known as the "
principal boy"), actors in animal costumes, a flamboyant villain, and fantasy themes
Peter Pan (1950), music and lyrics by
Leonard Bernstein, an authorised
Broadway adaptation. Intended as a musical, it was eventually staged as a "straight" dramatic version with only five songs. This version starred
Jean Arthur as Peter Pan, and
Boris Karloff in the dual roles of Mr. Darling and Captain Hook
Peter Pan (1954), directed by
Jerome Robbins, an authorised musical stage adaptation with music by
Mark "Moose" Charlap and lyrics by
Carolyn Leigh. Taking the opposite path of the 1950 adaptation, it was originally to have only a few incidental songs, but evolved into a full
Broadway musical with some new songs from composer
Jule Styne and lyricists
Betty Comden and
Adolph Green. This version became widely known as a vehicle for
Mary Martin, who appeared in three television productions of this version and won a Best Musical Actress Tony Award for her performance as well as an Emmy when it was aired on television.
Cyril Ritchard won a Tony as Captain Hook in the Broadway production opposite Martin and reprised the role in the first television production opposite her, and it is the role for which he has remained best known. Revivals featured television actress
Sandy Duncan and
gymnastCathy Rigby as Peter. A 2014 TV version was broadcast by
NBC as
Peter Pan Live![49]
Neverland (1975), book, music, and lyrics by
Jim Steinman, a futuristic musical stage adaptation. Although it only existed as a brief workshop at the
Kennedy Center in 1977, three of the songs would be reworked for the album Bat Out of Hell, one of the best-selling recordings in history[50]
Peter Pan (1982), an adaptation by
John Caird and
Trevor Nunn, first staged on 10 December 1982 at the Barbican Theatre, London
Peter Pan: The British Musical (1985), book, music and lyrics by Piers Chater Robinson, an authorised musical stage adaptation[51]
Peter Pan (1996), book, music, and lyrics by
Philip Glassborow, an authorised musical stage adaptation based on Glassborow's radio musical
Peter and Wendy (1997) adaptation and lyrics by Liza Lorwin and music by Scottish fiddler, Johnny Cunningham (of Silly Wizard fame). This is a stage production using Bunraku-style puppets performed by avant-garde theatre troupe, Mabou Mines, and actress Karen Kandel, who won an OBIE for her performance.[53] Mabou Mimes recently revived the original production at the Edinburgh Festival (2009)[54] and in New York at the New Victory Theater (2011)[55]
The Terrible Tragedy of Peter Pan (2002) by Phillip C. Klapperich, an ensemble member of
The House Theatre of Chicago. This production brings to the fore the darker subtexts of the story, such as the dysfunction of Peter's relationships with Wendy, Tinker Bell, and Tiger Lily, his fear of growing up, and his self-absorption, as he fails to notice those around him being hurt or killed[56]
Peter Pan (2004) by the
Chickenshed Theatre Company was a musical stage version of Peter Pan, and was performed to mark the 100th Anniversary of the play. This is also the only performance to date with sign language fully integrated
Peter Pan (2009), originally titled "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens" a large scale production for which a specially built theatre pavilion with 360 degree surround video was created; script by Tanya Ronder, music by Benjamin Wallfisch, first staged at
Kensington Gardens in Summer 2009. The production opened in the US in May 2010 and has since toured in San Francisco, Orange County, Atlanta, Chicago and Boston
Peter Pan (2009), music by Dan Chambers and lyrics by Dan Chambers and Polly Gibson, book by Polly Gibson, an authorised musical stage adaptation, first staged by the Sinodun Players at the Corn Exchange, Wallingford in July 2009
Peter Pan (2010), stage adaptation by
David Greig, first staged by the
National Theatre of Scotland at the King's Theatre, Glasgow in April 2010.[57] The action is transposed from Edwardian London to Victorian Edinburgh, and set against a background of construction of the Forth Rail Bridge
Peter Pan, the Boy who Hated Mothers (2010), adapted by Andrew Birkin from J.M. Barrie's original various drafts of the play, novel and screenplay, first staged at the Theatre du Gymnase in Marseille in February 2010 (translated into French by Céline-Albin Faivre), broadcast on Arte TV Channel Christmas 2010[58]
Peter Pan (2012), stage adaptation directed by Sally Cookson and devised by the companies, originally produced by
Bristol Old Vic for Christmas 2012 before being produced by the
National Theatre, London (in a co-production with Bristol Old Vic) for Christmas 2016 and the Troubadour White City Theatre for summer 2019
Disney's Peter Pan Jr is a one-hour children's musical based on the Disney Peter Pan movie with some updated material. It became available for school and children's theatre productions in 2013 after several pilot productions[59]
Fly (2013), a darker take on Peter Pan with a focus on leaving childhood behind and the importance of growing up, by
Jeffrey Seller debuted through the
Dallas Theater Center.[61] The book is by
Rajiv Joseph, who worked on the lyrics with
Kirsten Childs, and the music is by Bill Sherman[62]
Peter Pan Opera (2014), by composer
Richard Ayres and librettist Lavinia Greenlaw, first staged in Stuttgart in 2014 and performed in the UK in 2015 by the
Welsh National Opera[63]
Peter Pan (2015), an adaptation presented at
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. Co-directed by
Timothy Sheader and Liam Steel, the production was set in World War I. The production earned an
Olivier Award nomination and returned to the Open Air Theatre for its 2018 Season[64]
For Peter Pan On Her 70th Birthday (2017), an adaptation by
Sarah Ruhl, in which the title character and her siblings, all elderly retirees, become the characters of the original play. Beginning 18 August 2017 in New York City, it ran at Playrights Horizons
Peter Pan: reimagined (2019), an adaptation conceived and directed by Liam Steel, adapted by Georgia Christou and Liam Steel for the
Birmingham Repertory Theatre which changes Edwardian London to present-day
Birmingham
Peter Pan (2023), an adaptation by
Roddy Doyle set in early 20th century Dublin and directed by Ned Bennett for the
Gate Theatre, Dublin.[66] In a gender reversal of tradition, the actor who plays plays Mary Darling,
Clare Dunne, also plays Captain Hook.
Peter Pan (Питер Пэн) (1987), an unauthorised live-action musical adaptation by
Belarusfilm for
Soviet television
Hook by
Steven Spielberg (1991), an authorised live-action sequel. A family action/adventure film starring
Robin Williams,
Dustin Hoffman,
Julia Roberts,
Bob Hoskins and
Maggie Smith. This film deviates in a significant way from Barrie's source material in that it tells the story of a Peter Pan who chose to grow up and not return to Neverland to become a father having fallen in love (during a visit to Wendy's House in London) with Wendy's grand-daughter Moira who later became his wife. Pan took on a new life and became Peter Banning, an unimaginative and work-obsessed lawyer who has a strained relationship with his family including his two children, Maggie and Jack. Peter is lured back to Neverland by his old enemy Captain Hook who has kidnapped both Maggie and Jack in an attempt to rediscover meaning in his life and force Peter to give him the war he has long craved for, whilst also attempting to turn Peters' own children against their father in the process. Despite mixed reviews by critics, the film was popular with audiences and grossed nearly $120 million in the U.S., making it the 4th highest-grossing movie of 1991[68]
Peter Pan directed by
P. J. Hogan (2003), an authorised live-action movie adaptation. This version is notable for its directness in addressing the romantic elements between Peter (
Jeremy Sumpter) and Wendy (
Rachel Hurd-Wood). Captain Hook was portrayed by
Jason Isaacs (who also plays the role of Mr Darling), and Tinker Bell was played by
Ludivine Sagnier. The $100 million film boasted state-of-the-art special effects by
ILM and took nearly a year to produce in Australia, but was not a financial success for
Universal Studios (USA/France/English countries) and
Columbia Pictures[69]
Neverland by writer/director
Damion Dietz (2003), an unauthorised film reinterpretation. Set in early 21st-century Los Angeles and heavily "updated" for this setting, Dietz's independently produced film—featuring
Wil Wheaton as John Darling—maintains much of the characterisation, plot and themes of Barrie's original story
Wendy (2020), a live-action reimagining from Wendy's perspective, directed by
Benh Zeitlin featuring Devin France as the titled character, with Yashua Mack as Peter, Krzysztof Meyn as Thomas and Gage and Gavin Naquin as Douglas and James Darling.
Peter Pan (1988), an unauthorised Australian direct-to-video animated adaptation
Return to Never Land from
Disney (2002), an authorised animated sequel to the 1953 Disney film. Wendy's daughter Jane becomes involved with Peter Pan. The movie takes place during
World War II, set amidst
the Blitz (1940), and deals with the issue of children being forced to grow up too fast[79]
In Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022),
Will Arnett voiced a version of Peter Pan called Sweet Pete, the "actor" who played the character in the 1953 film, who became a crime boss after being fired by Disney due to his age he goes and chases
Chip and Dale for discovering his plans, serving as the main antagonist of this film.
Television
Live-action
Producers' Showcase: Peter Pan (7 March 1955). The 1954 stage version was re-staged for television by NBC as part of its monthly high-quality
anthology seriesProducers' Showcase and broadcast as a historic, live
color television event. The production was so well received that Producers' Showcase produced a second live presentation on 9 January 1956, with the same cast.
Mary Martin played TV's Peter Pan for the third time on 8 December 1960 with many of the same cast members, and this version of the 1954 musical was recorded on color
videotape, and repeated in 1963, 1966, and 1973. It was presented by NBC as a stand-alone special program rather than as part of Producer's Showcase. After 1973, it was presumed lost and not broadcast again until March 1989, after which it eventually appeared a few times on the
Disney Channel. It was also released on videocassette and briefly on DVD. In 2000, the Cathy Rigby stage production, featuring almost all of the songs used in the 1954 version, was telecast by the
A&E Network and issued on DVD[80]
The New Adventures of Peter and Wendy (2013 – present), webseries that features Wendy as the main character through a series of vlogs and other media
Peter Pan Live! is a new production of the 1954 version broadcast live on NBC on 4 December 2014 starring
Allison Williams as Peter,
Christopher Walken as Captain Hook,
Kelli O'Hara as Mrs. Darling,
Christian Borle as Mr. Darling/Mr. Smee and
Minnie Driver as the adult Wendy. Critical reaction was mixed, with many critics expressing relief that the broadcast was not a disaster[49]
Peter Pan Goes Wrong (2016), a one-hour television adaptation of
Mischief Theatre's play of the same name in which the fictitious Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society attempt to stage a production of Peter Pan, starring the original cast and guest appearance from
David Suchet as the narrator
Once Upon a Time is an
ABC television series that involves characters from familiar works of fiction, including Peter Pan.
Colin O'Donoghue was a series regular in the role of Hook, who originated as Killian Jones.
Freya Tingley first played Wendy in the 21st episode of the second season and continued playing the role in a few episodes towards the end of Season 3A.
Robbie Kay played the main villain role during Season 3A as Peter Pan, portrayed in the series as the father of
Rumpelstiltskin, and reprised his role in a couple episodes during Season 5B and the second-to-last episode of the overall show.
Rose McIver played Tinker Bell during the majority of Season 3A, then one episode during Season 3B and one during Season 6.
Animation
Peter Pan: The Animated Series (romanised as "Pîtâ Pan no Bôken") by
Nippon Animation (1989), an
anime television series. Produced as part of Nippon's World Masterpiece Theater series, the first 23 episodes are a loose adaptation of Barrie's story, while the latter half introduces a completely original arc with new supporting characters[84]
Fox's Peter Pan & the Pirates on
Fox Kids (1990), an animated TV series based on Barrie's novel, presenting the Darling children's other adventures in the Neverland during their stay. The series also focuses on significant development of the pirates as less one-dimensional characters. Voice talents in the cast included
Jason Marsden as Peter and
Tim Curry as "Captain James T. Hook"; Curry won an Emmy for it[85]
A series of digitally animated
direct-to-DVD films starring Tinker Bell was begun by Disney in 2008. These works are part of the company's
Disney Fairies franchise, and feature a cast of fairy characters and settings original to Disney.
Peter Pan: Return to Neverland, two 2002 games based on Disney's film, one for the
Game Boy Advance, the other for
PlayStation
Kingdom Hearts, a franchise between Square-Enix and Disney on various game systems that features Neverland as a playable world inhabited with various characters from the Peter Pan books and films including Peter Pan, Wendy, Tinker Bell, Captain Hook, and Mr. Smee
Disney has released two video games as part of the
Disney Fairies franchise, for the
Nintendo DS, each a tie-in with a direct-to-DVD feature film of the same name:
Tinker Bell (2008)
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure (2009)
Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue (2010)
Disney Infinity 2.0, Tinker Bell is a playable character in the game's Toy Box mode. She has been given powers to fly, and use her fairy dust to defeat enemies
Disney Magic Kingdoms, includes as playable characters some of the characters from the 1953 animated film in new storylines placed after the events of the film
Finding Neverland, a 2004 film starring
Johnny Depp as Barrie and
Kate Winslet as
Sylvia Llewelyn Davies is a fictionalised account of their relationship and how it led to the creation of Peter Pan. It was based on the 1998 play The Man Who Was Peter Pan by
Allan Knee. In 2015, it was adapted into a
musical on Broadway, playing at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
References in other works
In 1980,
Petula Clark starred in Never, Never Land as a woman whose niece, captivated by Barrie's tale, runs away and takes refuge with a group of "lost boys" squatting in a deserted London townhouse
In the 1986 Spanish film El río de oro (The Golden River) by
Jaime Chávarri, the central character is a man named Peter whose wife Dubarry played the role of
Tinker Bell in a theater play some years ago. They had a son, but Peter killed the baby when he was only 3 months old because he thought the boy was growing up too fast
The plot of the 1990 novel An Awfully Big Adventure by Beryl Bainbridge (made into a
film in 1995) revolves around a production of the play
The 2002 novel The League of Heroes by
Xavier Mauméjean is set in an
alternate universe in which Neverland has materialized in Kensington Gardens. The
fairy folk are commonplace in London, as are pirates and Indians. Peter Pan is considered one of several enemies of the repressive government and is pursued by the League whose members include Lord Admiral Hook (
Captain Hook),
Sherlock Holmes, and Lord Greystoke (
Tarzan)
Singer/songwriter
S. J. Tucker has released three songs called The Wendy Trilogy, chronicling how Wendy joined Captain Hook's crew, dueled him for command, gained great fame in Neverland and beyond, and eventually returned home, passing her legacy on
The cartoon series World of Winx features Peter Pan and Neverland characters Smee, Jim (Captain Hook), Crocodile Man (Crocodile), Queen (Tinker Bell), Wendy Darling. Peter Pan has a son named Matt Barrie
Peter Pan,
his fellow characters, and the setting of
Neverland have appeared in many works since the original books and
1904 play by
J. M. Barrie. The earliest were the stage productions of the play, and an adaptation to
silent film, done with Barrie's involvement and personal approval. Later works were authorised by
Great Ormond Street Hospital, to which Barrie gave the rights to the Peter Pan works; these include adaptations of the main story in both
animated and
live-action films,
musical stage productions, and a
sequelnovel. In addition, there have been numerous uses of Barrie's characters, settings, and storylines which challenged or took advantage of the changing
copyright status of these elements, including reinterpretations, sequels,
prequels, and
spin-offs in a variety of media, including film, television series, and books.
When dramatised, the character of Peter has usually been played by an adult woman. For boys' roles to be played by women is a convention of the
pantomime tradition that was popular when the play was first produced, and was necessitated by laws restricting the use of child actors for evening performances. Later adaptations have often followed this example, for reasons that include tradition, the performance demands of the role, and the marketing advantages of "star" actresses. The roles of
Captain Hook and
George Darling happened to be played by the same actor in the original production, a tradition which has sometimes been continued in later dramatic adaptations.
Books and other publications
Original works
1904 – Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up (play): Peter brings Wendy and her brothers to Neverland, where he has a showdown with his nemesis, Captain Hook. After the play was first staged in 1904, Barrie continued to make changes until the script was published officially in 1928.[1] This play was later adapted as a novel by Barrie
1906 – Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens: an origin story where the infant Peter flies away from his home, takes up residence in Kensington Gardens and makes friends with the fairies. The story first appeared as a chapter in Barrie's The Little White Bird published in 1902
1908 – When Wendy Grew Up – An Afterthought, a short sequel play first staged in 1908, but only published in book form in 1957
1911 – Peter and Wendy (novel), later published as Peter Pan and Wendy, adapted as a novel from the play, it also incorporates events from When Wendy Grew Up – An Afterthought
1928 - Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up, the first publication of the script of the play
Literary fiction, picture books and other publications
The Peter Pan Picture Book (sometimes entitled The Story of Peter Pan), retold by Daniel O'Connor, illustrated by
Alice B. Woodward (1907),[2] based on the original stage production of 1904. The text was also published as Peter Pan Keepsake but illustrated with photographs from the first productions.[3] It is the first novelisation of the play and also the first illustrated version of the story. This version differs from Barrie's own 1911 novelisation because he had made several changes to his play and story since it was first staged in 1904
Peter Pan and Wendy, retold by
May Byron (1915), authorized novelisation of the novel, later illustrated by
Mabel Lucie Attwell in 1921. It was the first time that this form of the title was used, later reused also for Barrie's own novel
Peter Pan and the Only Children by
Gilbert Adair (1987), an unauthorised sequel/prequel novel. This book is written and presented in a format similar to Peter and Wendy, with bound-in colour illustrations by Jenny Thorne. It has Peter living with a different gang of Lost Boys under the ocean, recruiting "only children" who jump from passing ships as new members, including the newest: 10-year-old Marissa Porter. They have adventures under the sea, including a duel with Captain Hook which ends indecisively. The narrator suggests at the end that perhaps this is a prequel to the adventure with Wendy Darling, or they take place without sequence. Adair's previous novel was Alice through the Needle's Eye, a sequel to the
Alice in Wonderland stories
Neverland by Toby Forward (1989), first of the cancelled Neverland series where Peter Pan, Captain Hook etc. are brought back to life through a computer game. Published by Simon & Schuster when Peter Pan first entered the public domain in the UK, before the copyright was revived in 1995
After the Rain: A New Adventure for Peter Pan by J. E. Somma (1999), an unauthorised sequel novel. Set in modern times, telling of Peter's reaction to a world that has grown to neglect him, and his rescue by three children who teach him that it's OK to grow up. It was published without incident in Canada, where the copyright to Peter Pan was generally agreed to have expired, but Somma and GOSH were in legal dispute when it was published in the U.S. in 2002, where GOSH claimed their copyrights were still valid. They eventually settled out of court[4]
Neverland: The Early Adventures of Peter Pan by R. Scott Leatherwood (2001), an unauthorized
prequel novel, to
Peter and Wendy that aims to answer those seventeen questions that haven't been addressed.
[1]
Wendy by Karen Wallace (2003), an unauthorised
prequel for
young adults. An attempt to explain the Darling children's willingness to fly away with Peter on the grounds that their home life, up until shortly before Peter appeared, had been filled with abuse and tragedy: a cruel
nanny, a criminally irresponsible father, and a suggestion of insanity in the family
Jardines de Kensington (translated into English as "Kensington Gardens") by
Rodrigo Fresán (2003), interweaves the story of Peter Pan, his creator JM Barrie, and various aspects of 1960s London pop culture. The narrator is called "Peter Hook"[5]
The Lost Girls: A Novel by Laurie Fox (2004), an unauthorised sequel novel. Follows the interaction of Peter Pan with each generation of
Wendy Darling's female descendants, up to a distinctly 21st-century great-great-granddaughter. Published by
Simon & Schuster
Peter and the Starcatchers (2004).[10] Set on a ship called Never Land featuring Peter and an earlier group of
Lost Boys. In 2005, the publisher announced plans by Disney to adapt the book as a digitally animated movie. "Peter and the Starcatchers" was adapted to a play similarly titled "Peter and the Starcatcher" winning several Tony awards[11]
Twenty-three years since Peter and the Lost Boys returned from Rundoon.[14]
The Bridge to Never Land (2011). Sarah and Aidan are drawn from the modern world as they follow clues left by an ancient coded document[15]
The "
Never Land Books" by Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson, Greg Call (ill.), a series of unauthorised spin-off
chapter books. Based on the continuity established by the "Starcatchers" novels, for a younger audience
Capt. Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth by
James V. Hart (co-writer of the movie Hook),
Brett Helquist (ill.) (2005), an authorised (non-canon) prequel illustrated novel, published by HarperCollins in the US. Details the history of 15-year-old James Matthew, young
Oppidan Scholar and future Captain Hook. The book portrays the villainous youth in a sympathetic light
The
Disney Fairies books by
Gail Carson Levine,
David Christiana (ill.), a series of spin-off illustrated novels for children. Part of the
Disney Fairies franchise, published by
Disney Press in the US and HarperCollins in the UK. Introduces a new cast of "Never Fairies", in addition to
Tinker Bell. Peter Pan and Captain Hook are mentioned but play very minor roles. Additional
chapter books in the series are intended for younger readers, and were written by various authors, focusing on the different characters invented by Levine[20]
Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg (2005)
Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand (2007)
Peter Pan in Scarlet by
Geraldine McCaughrean (2006), the official sequel novel, commissioned by Great Ormond Street Hospital following a competition launched in 2004. It has been sold in 40 different editions in 37 languages. The book is published by Oxford University Press in the UK and Margaret K McElderry (Simon & Schuster) in the US[21]
Peter Pan's NeverWorld by
Peter Von Brown (2008) an unofficial sequel set presumably in
contemporary times. Based upon Sir J. M. Barrie's idea to expand the adventures of Peter Pan with his genuine unused notes and unfinished drafts concerning Peter Pan's younger brother.
[2]
The Wendy That Stayed by A.M. Bell (2008). Originally an
Ebook follow up to events straight after
Peter and Wendy.
[4]
The Child Thief by artist
Gerald Brom (2009), an
new adult illustrated novel reinterpreting Peter Pan based on the darker themes in the story as a ruthless figure recruiting children to serve toward his own ends
Another Pan by Daniel Nayeri and Dina Nayeri (2010), a darker version featuring an 18-year-old Peter Pan searching for the magic bone dust so he will never grow old. Characters also include Wendy, John and their father George Darling[22]
Always Neverland by Zoe Barton (2011). Ashley is to be another in a long series of "Wendy girls" Peter brings to Neverland, but she is more interested in adventuring[23]
The Adventures of Peter Pan Series by David Earl set during the events after
Hook in which an elderly Peter Pan finds himself up against the son of
Captain Hook.
Son of Hook (2014)
The Secret of Skeleton Bay (2014)
Dylan and the Dream Pirates by Jason Andrew (2012). First of a
postponedDreamland serial an
Ebook set in
contemporary times in which a
bereaved Dylan must find a cure to a magical plague like curse called The Taint.
Second on the Right by Elizabeth Los (2012). An
alternate historyorigin of James Hook who must rescue his son from becoming the latest host body to Pan.
Tiger Lily by
Jodi Lynn Anderson (2013). The story of fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily who becomes enthralled and entangled in the life of Peter Pan, told from the perspective of Tinker Bell[24]
Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen (2014). Captain Hook is caught in an endless loop of warring with Peter Pan until a woman named Stella Parrish dreams her way into Neverland and begins to change things
The Fall of Peter Pan by K.L. Webber (2014). First of a
postponedThe Neverland Chronicles serial an
Ebook adapted from Sir J. M. Barrie's genuine earlier discarded writtings to create a different take to the original text of
Peter and Wendy.
Hook's Revenge Series by Heidi Schulz, a humorous adventure series about the 12-year-old daughter of Captain Hook on a quest to avenge her father's death[25]
Essence of Neverland by Juna Jinsei Dr (2015). First of Legends of the Pantrilogy where following Peter Pan being slain, prompts a race to find a replacement for him fast to save
Neverland.
[9]
Lost Boi by
Sassafras Lowrey (2015). A novel for adults retelling the story through the lens of homeless queer youth with prominent
BDSM themes. Told from the point of view of Tootles, "Pan's best boi"[28]
Peter Pan part of the urban-toons series by Antoinette Truitt and King Ki'el (2015), featuring
facsimiles of
J. M. Barrie's characters that depicts Peter Pan as leader of a group of escaped runaway child slaves.
All Darling Children by Katrina Monroe (2016). A
young adult re-telling told from the perspective of Madge Darling;
Wendy Darling's teenage granddaughter.
[10]
The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up: An Unofficial Sequel To Peter & Wendy by Burgandi Rakoska (2016). A hospital child patient is whisked away to
Neverland.
[11]
The Neverland Wars by Audrey Greathouse (2016). First of the The Neverland Warstrilogy where an outside worldly organization goes to war with
Neverland. Sixteen-year-old Gwen is caught up in a looming war in Neverland.[31]
Silver Scars: A Peter Pan Twist by Renata Marie (2016).
Reality and
Fantasy collides when Kyle Darling and his parents are kidnapped, Adela Nora Darling must uncover the truth behind the story of
Neverland and
Peter Pan.
Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell (2016), Gwendolyn's mother's fears are proven right when shadowy creatures kidnap her and her best friend Olivia to a terrifying place to Neverland, where Peter Pan and Hook compete for her trust.
GoodreadsISBN1481432044</ref>
Never Ever Series by Sara Saedi loosely based on Peter Pan. Wylie meets Phinn in a club and he whisks her and her brother off to a magical island where no one ages past seventeen[32]
Never Ever (2016)
The Lost Kids (2018)
Lost Boy (2017). In Neverland, Jamie, one of Peter Pan's Lost Boys, grows disenchanted with his leader.
Pan by Maggie Stewart (2017). A
contemporaryEbook tale of a teenage girl who meets someone who might be
Peter Pan.
Peter Darling by Austin Chant (2017), a romance between an adult Peter Pan (who is a
transgender man born as "Wendy") and Captain Hook.[33] Winner of the 2017 Rainbow Award for best cover and best transgender science fiction/fantasy[34]
You Can Fly: A Sequel to the Peter Pan Tales by Chuck Rosenthal (2017). On the eve of his thirteenth birthday, Thomas Pandora discovers the truth about his family legacy.
[14]
Lost Girl by R.M. Archer (2018). Following the exploits of Nya, the granddaughter of Captain Hook and her relationship with Peter Pan.
Nightmare of Neverland by Todd Feren (2018). First of the
postponedThe Nightmare series serial featuring nightmarish
caricatures of well known literary characters.
The Pirate Princess Chronicles Series by R.V. Bowman, a
trilogy adventure series featuring the long lost daughter of
Captain Hook. Currently being adapted into a
live action TV series
[15]
Hook's Daughter: The Untold Tale of a Pirate Princess (2018)
Pan's Secret: A Pirate Princess's Quest for Answers (2019)
Neverland's Key: A Pirate Princess's Last Chance (2019)
Darling: Never Ever Neverland by K.T. Hanna (2019). Following events of
Peter and Wendy,
Wendy Darling must come to the aid of orphans who are being recruited into a thieving ring.
Forever Neverland by Susan Adrian (2019). A contemporary sequel to J. M. Barrie’s timeless classic featuring the great-great-grandchildren of
Wendy Darling.
[16]
The Never: A Tale of Peter and the Fae by Don Jones (2019). An alternative
origin story to the creation of
Neverland and the arrival of Peter Pan.
[17]
Dead Lies Dreaming by
Charles Stross (2020). A
pastiche of Peter and Wendy, taking place in Stross'
Laundry Files setting. It is first in the Tales of the New Management trilogy[35]
Neverland: A Fantasy Role-playing Setting, written and illustrated by Andrew Kolb (2020).
Straight on Till Morning by
Liz Braswell (2020). Four years after her original adventure, 16-year-old old Wendy joins with
Tinker Bell in rescuing Peter from Hook. Part of the Twisted Tale Series from the Disney Book Group[36]
Lost by Nicholle Pugmire (2021). In this
re-telling Winnifred Elizabeth Darling finds herself on a ship full of
Lost Ones unsure of how she got there or how to get home.
The Neverland Girl by Dash Hoffman and illustrated by El Geron (2021).
Reality and
Fantasy collides when a sickly girl with a life long illness seems to find herself in Neverland.
[18]
Son of Neverland by
Cal Barnes (2021). An epic fantasy sequel taking exactly one hundred years after Peter Pan and Hook's final battle.[37]
Forgotten by Nicholle Pugmire (2022). A follow on to Lost in which one
Lost Boy seeks to get back to the
Never.
Petra: A Novel Based On The Peter Pan Universe by Miranda R Urena and illustrated by James A Knox (2022), a contemporary re-telling featuring Peter Pan's younger sister.
The Lost Girl by Allison Spooner (2023). Great granddaughter of Peter Pan; Lady Pan is dying of a
terminal illness unless
Neverland can save her.
[19]
Saving Neverland by Abi Elphinstone (2023). A contemporary sequel to J. M. Barrie’s timeless classic featuring the newest residents to
12 Darlington Street Road the old address of
Wendy Darling who encounter Peter Pan.
[20]
Peter Pank by Spanish cartoonist "Max" (
Francesc Capdevila) (1985–1990), an unauthorised comic reinterpretation for "adults only". Peter is a violent, spiked-hair anarchist living in Punkland with a gang of punk Lost Boys. The pirates are a gang of rockers, the Indians are hippies, and the female characters are often depicted bare-breasted, with numerous sexual scenes. It was published in three albums: Peter Pank, El Licantropunk, and Pankdinista
Peter Pan: Return to Never-Never Land by
Ron Fortier and Gary Kato (1991), an unauthorised sequel. Peter brings two modern African-American boys to Never-Never Land, published by
Malibu Comics under the Adventure Comics imprint, two issues later reprinted in a single volume[39][40]
The Lost by
Marc Andreyko, Galen Showman, and Jay Geldhof (1997), an unauthorised sequel comic book. This urban horror-themed mini-series published by
Caliber Comics and
Chaos! Comics continues the story in present-day New York City, with Peter revealed as a
vampire boy
hustler who leads a small group of vampire boys including
Michael, and lures another girl named Wendy to join them
Lost Boys (ロストボーイズ) by Kaname Itsuki (2004), an unauthorised
manga reinterpretation, in which a character based on Peter Pan brings a young man to Neverland to be his father, with
romantic themes
Peter Panzerfaust by
Kurtis J. Wiebe (2012 - 2016), a retelling of the story of Peter Pan, set in France during World War II. Peter, an American boy looking for his past in France at the outbreak of the Second World War, recruiting several orphans (The Lost Boys), saving the Darling children and coming across SS-Hauptmann/Kapitan Haken
Peter Pan – The Graphic Novel by
Stephen White (2015), a retelling of the original work in graphic novel form[42]
Pan Peter by Jang Maro, a
Tapas-exclusive
manhwa that retells the character as a mysterious, magic boy who avenges the weak by torturing and killing the aggressors[43]
Fifty Years of Peter Pan by
Roger Lancelyn Green is an account of the first 50 years in Peter Pan's stage history[44]
J.M. Barrie and The Lost Boys by
Andrew Birkin is an account of the meeting and relationship between Barrie and the
Llewelyn Davies family, and how Peter Pan came to be created, based on his docudrama
The Lost Boys broadcast in 1978[45]
Dr. Dan Kiley popularised the
Peter Pan syndrome in his 1983 book, The Peter Pan Syndrome: Men Who Have Never Grown Up,[46] about individuals (usually male) with underdeveloped maturity; his next book, The Wendy Dilemma (1984), advises women romantically involved with "Peter Pans" how to improve their relationships[47]
Peter Pan on Stage and Screen, 1904–2010 by Bruce Hanson covers the genesis of Peter Pan and its productions in the UK and US; updated edition of Hanson's work The Peter Pan Chronicles, published in 1993[48]
Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up (1904). Although Barrie did not intend the play as a
pantomime, it has many features in common with this traditional genre of British children's theatre: a boy – played by a woman – as the lead role (known as the "
principal boy"), actors in animal costumes, a flamboyant villain, and fantasy themes
Peter Pan (1950), music and lyrics by
Leonard Bernstein, an authorised
Broadway adaptation. Intended as a musical, it was eventually staged as a "straight" dramatic version with only five songs. This version starred
Jean Arthur as Peter Pan, and
Boris Karloff in the dual roles of Mr. Darling and Captain Hook
Peter Pan (1954), directed by
Jerome Robbins, an authorised musical stage adaptation with music by
Mark "Moose" Charlap and lyrics by
Carolyn Leigh. Taking the opposite path of the 1950 adaptation, it was originally to have only a few incidental songs, but evolved into a full
Broadway musical with some new songs from composer
Jule Styne and lyricists
Betty Comden and
Adolph Green. This version became widely known as a vehicle for
Mary Martin, who appeared in three television productions of this version and won a Best Musical Actress Tony Award for her performance as well as an Emmy when it was aired on television.
Cyril Ritchard won a Tony as Captain Hook in the Broadway production opposite Martin and reprised the role in the first television production opposite her, and it is the role for which he has remained best known. Revivals featured television actress
Sandy Duncan and
gymnastCathy Rigby as Peter. A 2014 TV version was broadcast by
NBC as
Peter Pan Live![49]
Neverland (1975), book, music, and lyrics by
Jim Steinman, a futuristic musical stage adaptation. Although it only existed as a brief workshop at the
Kennedy Center in 1977, three of the songs would be reworked for the album Bat Out of Hell, one of the best-selling recordings in history[50]
Peter Pan (1982), an adaptation by
John Caird and
Trevor Nunn, first staged on 10 December 1982 at the Barbican Theatre, London
Peter Pan: The British Musical (1985), book, music and lyrics by Piers Chater Robinson, an authorised musical stage adaptation[51]
Peter Pan (1996), book, music, and lyrics by
Philip Glassborow, an authorised musical stage adaptation based on Glassborow's radio musical
Peter and Wendy (1997) adaptation and lyrics by Liza Lorwin and music by Scottish fiddler, Johnny Cunningham (of Silly Wizard fame). This is a stage production using Bunraku-style puppets performed by avant-garde theatre troupe, Mabou Mines, and actress Karen Kandel, who won an OBIE for her performance.[53] Mabou Mimes recently revived the original production at the Edinburgh Festival (2009)[54] and in New York at the New Victory Theater (2011)[55]
The Terrible Tragedy of Peter Pan (2002) by Phillip C. Klapperich, an ensemble member of
The House Theatre of Chicago. This production brings to the fore the darker subtexts of the story, such as the dysfunction of Peter's relationships with Wendy, Tinker Bell, and Tiger Lily, his fear of growing up, and his self-absorption, as he fails to notice those around him being hurt or killed[56]
Peter Pan (2004) by the
Chickenshed Theatre Company was a musical stage version of Peter Pan, and was performed to mark the 100th Anniversary of the play. This is also the only performance to date with sign language fully integrated
Peter Pan (2009), originally titled "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens" a large scale production for which a specially built theatre pavilion with 360 degree surround video was created; script by Tanya Ronder, music by Benjamin Wallfisch, first staged at
Kensington Gardens in Summer 2009. The production opened in the US in May 2010 and has since toured in San Francisco, Orange County, Atlanta, Chicago and Boston
Peter Pan (2009), music by Dan Chambers and lyrics by Dan Chambers and Polly Gibson, book by Polly Gibson, an authorised musical stage adaptation, first staged by the Sinodun Players at the Corn Exchange, Wallingford in July 2009
Peter Pan (2010), stage adaptation by
David Greig, first staged by the
National Theatre of Scotland at the King's Theatre, Glasgow in April 2010.[57] The action is transposed from Edwardian London to Victorian Edinburgh, and set against a background of construction of the Forth Rail Bridge
Peter Pan, the Boy who Hated Mothers (2010), adapted by Andrew Birkin from J.M. Barrie's original various drafts of the play, novel and screenplay, first staged at the Theatre du Gymnase in Marseille in February 2010 (translated into French by Céline-Albin Faivre), broadcast on Arte TV Channel Christmas 2010[58]
Peter Pan (2012), stage adaptation directed by Sally Cookson and devised by the companies, originally produced by
Bristol Old Vic for Christmas 2012 before being produced by the
National Theatre, London (in a co-production with Bristol Old Vic) for Christmas 2016 and the Troubadour White City Theatre for summer 2019
Disney's Peter Pan Jr is a one-hour children's musical based on the Disney Peter Pan movie with some updated material. It became available for school and children's theatre productions in 2013 after several pilot productions[59]
Fly (2013), a darker take on Peter Pan with a focus on leaving childhood behind and the importance of growing up, by
Jeffrey Seller debuted through the
Dallas Theater Center.[61] The book is by
Rajiv Joseph, who worked on the lyrics with
Kirsten Childs, and the music is by Bill Sherman[62]
Peter Pan Opera (2014), by composer
Richard Ayres and librettist Lavinia Greenlaw, first staged in Stuttgart in 2014 and performed in the UK in 2015 by the
Welsh National Opera[63]
Peter Pan (2015), an adaptation presented at
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. Co-directed by
Timothy Sheader and Liam Steel, the production was set in World War I. The production earned an
Olivier Award nomination and returned to the Open Air Theatre for its 2018 Season[64]
For Peter Pan On Her 70th Birthday (2017), an adaptation by
Sarah Ruhl, in which the title character and her siblings, all elderly retirees, become the characters of the original play. Beginning 18 August 2017 in New York City, it ran at Playrights Horizons
Peter Pan: reimagined (2019), an adaptation conceived and directed by Liam Steel, adapted by Georgia Christou and Liam Steel for the
Birmingham Repertory Theatre which changes Edwardian London to present-day
Birmingham
Peter Pan (2023), an adaptation by
Roddy Doyle set in early 20th century Dublin and directed by Ned Bennett for the
Gate Theatre, Dublin.[66] In a gender reversal of tradition, the actor who plays plays Mary Darling,
Clare Dunne, also plays Captain Hook.
Peter Pan (Питер Пэн) (1987), an unauthorised live-action musical adaptation by
Belarusfilm for
Soviet television
Hook by
Steven Spielberg (1991), an authorised live-action sequel. A family action/adventure film starring
Robin Williams,
Dustin Hoffman,
Julia Roberts,
Bob Hoskins and
Maggie Smith. This film deviates in a significant way from Barrie's source material in that it tells the story of a Peter Pan who chose to grow up and not return to Neverland to become a father having fallen in love (during a visit to Wendy's House in London) with Wendy's grand-daughter Moira who later became his wife. Pan took on a new life and became Peter Banning, an unimaginative and work-obsessed lawyer who has a strained relationship with his family including his two children, Maggie and Jack. Peter is lured back to Neverland by his old enemy Captain Hook who has kidnapped both Maggie and Jack in an attempt to rediscover meaning in his life and force Peter to give him the war he has long craved for, whilst also attempting to turn Peters' own children against their father in the process. Despite mixed reviews by critics, the film was popular with audiences and grossed nearly $120 million in the U.S., making it the 4th highest-grossing movie of 1991[68]
Peter Pan directed by
P. J. Hogan (2003), an authorised live-action movie adaptation. This version is notable for its directness in addressing the romantic elements between Peter (
Jeremy Sumpter) and Wendy (
Rachel Hurd-Wood). Captain Hook was portrayed by
Jason Isaacs (who also plays the role of Mr Darling), and Tinker Bell was played by
Ludivine Sagnier. The $100 million film boasted state-of-the-art special effects by
ILM and took nearly a year to produce in Australia, but was not a financial success for
Universal Studios (USA/France/English countries) and
Columbia Pictures[69]
Neverland by writer/director
Damion Dietz (2003), an unauthorised film reinterpretation. Set in early 21st-century Los Angeles and heavily "updated" for this setting, Dietz's independently produced film—featuring
Wil Wheaton as John Darling—maintains much of the characterisation, plot and themes of Barrie's original story
Wendy (2020), a live-action reimagining from Wendy's perspective, directed by
Benh Zeitlin featuring Devin France as the titled character, with Yashua Mack as Peter, Krzysztof Meyn as Thomas and Gage and Gavin Naquin as Douglas and James Darling.
Peter Pan (1988), an unauthorised Australian direct-to-video animated adaptation
Return to Never Land from
Disney (2002), an authorised animated sequel to the 1953 Disney film. Wendy's daughter Jane becomes involved with Peter Pan. The movie takes place during
World War II, set amidst
the Blitz (1940), and deals with the issue of children being forced to grow up too fast[79]
In Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022),
Will Arnett voiced a version of Peter Pan called Sweet Pete, the "actor" who played the character in the 1953 film, who became a crime boss after being fired by Disney due to his age he goes and chases
Chip and Dale for discovering his plans, serving as the main antagonist of this film.
Television
Live-action
Producers' Showcase: Peter Pan (7 March 1955). The 1954 stage version was re-staged for television by NBC as part of its monthly high-quality
anthology seriesProducers' Showcase and broadcast as a historic, live
color television event. The production was so well received that Producers' Showcase produced a second live presentation on 9 January 1956, with the same cast.
Mary Martin played TV's Peter Pan for the third time on 8 December 1960 with many of the same cast members, and this version of the 1954 musical was recorded on color
videotape, and repeated in 1963, 1966, and 1973. It was presented by NBC as a stand-alone special program rather than as part of Producer's Showcase. After 1973, it was presumed lost and not broadcast again until March 1989, after which it eventually appeared a few times on the
Disney Channel. It was also released on videocassette and briefly on DVD. In 2000, the Cathy Rigby stage production, featuring almost all of the songs used in the 1954 version, was telecast by the
A&E Network and issued on DVD[80]
The New Adventures of Peter and Wendy (2013 – present), webseries that features Wendy as the main character through a series of vlogs and other media
Peter Pan Live! is a new production of the 1954 version broadcast live on NBC on 4 December 2014 starring
Allison Williams as Peter,
Christopher Walken as Captain Hook,
Kelli O'Hara as Mrs. Darling,
Christian Borle as Mr. Darling/Mr. Smee and
Minnie Driver as the adult Wendy. Critical reaction was mixed, with many critics expressing relief that the broadcast was not a disaster[49]
Peter Pan Goes Wrong (2016), a one-hour television adaptation of
Mischief Theatre's play of the same name in which the fictitious Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society attempt to stage a production of Peter Pan, starring the original cast and guest appearance from
David Suchet as the narrator
Once Upon a Time is an
ABC television series that involves characters from familiar works of fiction, including Peter Pan.
Colin O'Donoghue was a series regular in the role of Hook, who originated as Killian Jones.
Freya Tingley first played Wendy in the 21st episode of the second season and continued playing the role in a few episodes towards the end of Season 3A.
Robbie Kay played the main villain role during Season 3A as Peter Pan, portrayed in the series as the father of
Rumpelstiltskin, and reprised his role in a couple episodes during Season 5B and the second-to-last episode of the overall show.
Rose McIver played Tinker Bell during the majority of Season 3A, then one episode during Season 3B and one during Season 6.
Animation
Peter Pan: The Animated Series (romanised as "Pîtâ Pan no Bôken") by
Nippon Animation (1989), an
anime television series. Produced as part of Nippon's World Masterpiece Theater series, the first 23 episodes are a loose adaptation of Barrie's story, while the latter half introduces a completely original arc with new supporting characters[84]
Fox's Peter Pan & the Pirates on
Fox Kids (1990), an animated TV series based on Barrie's novel, presenting the Darling children's other adventures in the Neverland during their stay. The series also focuses on significant development of the pirates as less one-dimensional characters. Voice talents in the cast included
Jason Marsden as Peter and
Tim Curry as "Captain James T. Hook"; Curry won an Emmy for it[85]
A series of digitally animated
direct-to-DVD films starring Tinker Bell was begun by Disney in 2008. These works are part of the company's
Disney Fairies franchise, and feature a cast of fairy characters and settings original to Disney.
Peter Pan: Return to Neverland, two 2002 games based on Disney's film, one for the
Game Boy Advance, the other for
PlayStation
Kingdom Hearts, a franchise between Square-Enix and Disney on various game systems that features Neverland as a playable world inhabited with various characters from the Peter Pan books and films including Peter Pan, Wendy, Tinker Bell, Captain Hook, and Mr. Smee
Disney has released two video games as part of the
Disney Fairies franchise, for the
Nintendo DS, each a tie-in with a direct-to-DVD feature film of the same name:
Tinker Bell (2008)
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure (2009)
Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue (2010)
Disney Infinity 2.0, Tinker Bell is a playable character in the game's Toy Box mode. She has been given powers to fly, and use her fairy dust to defeat enemies
Disney Magic Kingdoms, includes as playable characters some of the characters from the 1953 animated film in new storylines placed after the events of the film
Finding Neverland, a 2004 film starring
Johnny Depp as Barrie and
Kate Winslet as
Sylvia Llewelyn Davies is a fictionalised account of their relationship and how it led to the creation of Peter Pan. It was based on the 1998 play The Man Who Was Peter Pan by
Allan Knee. In 2015, it was adapted into a
musical on Broadway, playing at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
References in other works
In 1980,
Petula Clark starred in Never, Never Land as a woman whose niece, captivated by Barrie's tale, runs away and takes refuge with a group of "lost boys" squatting in a deserted London townhouse
In the 1986 Spanish film El río de oro (The Golden River) by
Jaime Chávarri, the central character is a man named Peter whose wife Dubarry played the role of
Tinker Bell in a theater play some years ago. They had a son, but Peter killed the baby when he was only 3 months old because he thought the boy was growing up too fast
The plot of the 1990 novel An Awfully Big Adventure by Beryl Bainbridge (made into a
film in 1995) revolves around a production of the play
The 2002 novel The League of Heroes by
Xavier Mauméjean is set in an
alternate universe in which Neverland has materialized in Kensington Gardens. The
fairy folk are commonplace in London, as are pirates and Indians. Peter Pan is considered one of several enemies of the repressive government and is pursued by the League whose members include Lord Admiral Hook (
Captain Hook),
Sherlock Holmes, and Lord Greystoke (
Tarzan)
Singer/songwriter
S. J. Tucker has released three songs called The Wendy Trilogy, chronicling how Wendy joined Captain Hook's crew, dueled him for command, gained great fame in Neverland and beyond, and eventually returned home, passing her legacy on
The cartoon series World of Winx features Peter Pan and Neverland characters Smee, Jim (Captain Hook), Crocodile Man (Crocodile), Queen (Tinker Bell), Wendy Darling. Peter Pan has a son named Matt Barrie