‘Pinocchio,’ ‘Peter Pan & Wendy’ to Skip Theaters for Disney+
Disney will move some of its latest live-action remakes of animated classics to Disney+, including “Pinocchio” starring Tom Hanks and directed by Robert Zemeckis and “Peter Pan & Wendy” starring Yara Shahidi as Tinker Bell.
Other features that will debut as Disney+ originals include “Sister Act 3,” a new “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” film, “Disenchanted” — the sequel to “Enchanted,” for which Amy Adams has been announced to return — and a live-action and animated hybrid “Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers” starring John Mulaney and Andy Samberg as the voices of the titular chipmunks.
Release dates have not yet been revealed.
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The announcement was made as part of Disney’s marathon investor day event on Thursday. The studio clarified that it will continue to bolster Disney+ with both exclusives and other films that will be released with the same premium model as “Mulan” earlier this year, including “Raya and the Last Dragon,” which premieres day-and-date on Disney+ and in theaters on March 12.
Among some of the other live-action remakes that will remain with theatrical releases are “Jungle Cruise” with Dwayne Johnson, “The Little Mermaid” remake, the “101 Dalmatians” prequel “Cruella” starring Emma Stone and “The Lion King” sequel directed by Barry Jenkins.
Hanks was first in talks to play Geppetto in the live-action “Pinocchio” back in 2018, when “Paddington” director Paul King was still circling the project. But as revealed in 2019, “Back to the Future” director Robert Zemeckis will take on the adaptation of Disney’s beloved 1940 animated film.
“Peter Pan & Wendy” is helmed by “Pete’s Dragon” director David Lowery and stars “Black-ish” actress Yara Shahidi as Tinker Bell, Jude Law as Captain Hook, Ever Anderson as Wendy and Alexander Molony as the boy who refused to grow up, Peter Pan.
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