Disney considering its own new Peter Pan film to go with those five others in development

By Sean O'Neal | March 24, 2011 | 9:04pm

Aux Features Film

Apparently jealous of the current Peter Pan movie trend, the Peter Pan O.G.s at Disney have begun considering their own Pan project, either blithely ignorant of the approximately five similar ones in development, or thoroughly confident in the fact that they are Disney, and all others are like the buzzing of flies to them. Disney chief Bob Iger recently told shareholders that the studio is mulling over a big-screen adaptation of Peter And The Starcatchers, the best-selling children’s book co-written by Ridley Pearson and humor columnist Dave Barry that’s currently being tested out as an Off-Broadway stage play.

Like the Channing Tatum-burdened Pan, the story is billed as a prequel to J.M. Barrie’s original work, although Starcatchers features mostly new characters—such as a giant called Little Richard, the naming of whom probably caused Dave Barry to chuckle softly to himself for like eight straight days. Anyway, Disney hasn’t made an official decision yet as to whether it will actually go forward with its new Peter Pan project, but Iger did note that the often prickly New York Times theater critic Ben Brantley seemed to really love the play. Which is true, but hopefully Iger will also take notice that Brantley said in his review that the small production was “a heck of a lot more fun—and ultimately more convincing—than any big-screen equivalent.” Let alone, you know, five of them.