‘Brave’ Director to Helm Live-Action ‘Peter Pan’ and ‘Alice in Wonderland’ Prequel
If you haven’t yet had your fill of Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland — or of live-action updates on children’s classics, for that matter — a new film from director Brenda Chapman is doubling down on all of the above. The co-director of Pixar’s Brave is preparing to make her live-action debut with Come Away, a movie that combines elements of J.M. Barrie and Lewis Carroll’s beloved books into one magical (and kind of sad) story.
Variety reports that Chapman has signed on to helm Come Away, based on a screenplay by Marissa Kate Goodhill. The story reimagines Peter Pan and Alice as a brother and sister whose older brother tragically passes away, leaving them to cope with the loss while their parents are distracted by their own grieving. The distraught siblings escape to distant imaginary lands, with Peter heading off to Neverland and Alice journeying to Wonderland.
It’s a plot that makes a fair amount of sense, given that both Neverland and Wonderland were filled with metaphors that explored deeper themes under the guise of fluffier fantasy. Both stories featured characters desperate to avoid the responsibilities of coming-of-age, with both using imaginary worlds to escape the burden of reality.
Following Joe Wright’s underwhelming Pan, Disney is currently developing their own live-action take on Peter Pan with Pete’s Dragon director David Lowery. The studio is also preparing to release Alice Through the Looking Glass, James Bobin’s sequel to Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. Unlike these projects, however, Come Away appears to offer a more intriguing and unexpected take on those classic characters.