Posterized: Joe Wright's "Pan" and Peter Pan Movies
Saturday, October 10, 2015 at 2:00PM 
Jackman and Wright talk on setYou have to admit that Joe Wright was asking for it. He went and titled his Peter Pan epic, Pan, which is functioning like a command for the nation's critics who have done so mercilessly. It probably didn't help that he uglified one of our most handsome movie stars (no one needs to see Hugh Jackman going the Johnny Depp route). Worse, he truly stepped in it early on by casting the very white Rooney Mara in one of the few iconic roles meant for a Native American actress. (This issue has been discussed at very high volumes in the past few years since moviegoers and the media are sick to death of Hollywood's white-washing. But Hollywood is still wearing ear plugs.)
Will you see his latest despite the reviews?
And how many Peter Pan related movies have you seen? (More on Peter and Joe after the jump)
Peter Pan (1924) | Peter Pan (1953)
Hook (1991) | Peter Pan (2003) | Return to Neverland (2004) 
The Lost Boys (1978) | Finding Neverland (2004) | Neverland (2003)
... there are numerous unauthorized versions and reinterpretations and a biopic of course so these three are just a sampling
Televised Stage Productions
Peter Pan (Mary Martin Version, 1960) | Peter Pan (Cathy Rigby Version, 2000) 
Peter Pan Live! (2014)
Pan (2015)
Which is your favorite? (Pssst... the correct answer is P.J. Hogan's Peter Pan (2003) which is glorious but you can pretend otherwise with a different favorite in the comments if you must.)
While we will always hold a special place in our heart for Joe Wright since he was the first director to fully harness Keira Knightley's Glory, making three very special films with her (Pride & Prejudice, Atonement, Anna Karenina) we have to admit that we worry about him. Is she his magic strength and once shorn off, like Samson's long hair, he's suddenly weakened? The rest of his filmography is uneven; no one cared about the Soloist, everyone hates Pan, and Hanna has devout fans but nothing like a consensus as to its worth.
How is your relationship with Joe Wright these days?
Reader Comments (19)
I've seen quite a few of these, and I still believe the 2003 Peter Pan is no question the best representation of the character (give or take the very funny Broadway production of Peter and the Starcatcher).
And, yes, I will absolutely see Pan later today. I am a huge Joe Wright fan. I love all of his movies if I pretend The Soloist doesn't exist.
I loved the Disney version and Mary Martin. I grew up with Hook, which has probably colored my impression of the story more than anything else. What I always wanted to know more about was the "Peter Pan" story NOT being told by that movie --I loved the world building and would have loved to see the more familiar story play out in those spaces. I did love Peter and the Starcatcher when I saw it --especially making the lost boys kidnapped would-be British sailors! I never quite got behind the 2003 version because I was distracted by Peter Pan's lisp. The girl who played Wendy was fantastic.
I've seen the Mary Martin version dozens of times as a kid. I'm sure my siblings and I wore out the VHS. I'll always have a soft spot for it.
How can you not love the Mary Martin version? It's magical. (Fun fact: Mary Martin is the mother of J.R. Ewing himself, Larry Hagman.)
I do wonder a bit about Joe Wright, who, aside from his trifecta with Keira Knightley, does seem to suffer from a lack of a distinct filmmaker's voice and narrative verve (kind of like his contemporary, the director of Finding Neverland, Marc Forster). Anna Karenina was marvelous though, terrifically inventive; shame Knightley wasn't even nominated for an Oscar for that one, which is her best performance (IMO).
Disney's Peter Pan was one of the rare Disney films I did not see more than once and while it had nice things I never cared for it much. I was probably more emotionally attached to Return to Neverland which is one of the more decent DisneyToons direct to DVD sequels even if that is not saying much. I have Hook so much, I saw it as a early teen and it was so embarrassing and cheesy. Never saw any other versions of Peter Pan and I have not seen those in yeas. So I am not very attached to this world but it could be promising if handled right,
Not interested in seeing Pan, it looked embarrassingly unnecessary edgy origin story from the beginning and then there is the Tiger Lilly thing. Joe Wright is overrated in my opinion and I say this as a huge Keira Knightley fan. He is not bad but he has many weaknesses, and do you really think it is difficulty to make good adaptions of classic books like Anna Karenina and Pride and Prejudice? Atonement is a good book as well but the last two films films are also a bit overrated. I should seed Hanna however and it would be nice if he and Keira would find another good book to make in some day.
The 2003 Peter Pan is simply wonderful, and I suppose what started my great appreciation of Jason Isaacs.
Of these, I've seen Hook (which I was bored by), the 2003 Peter Pan (which I adore) and Finding Neverland (which I remember sort of enjoying but have no desire to see again).
The 2003 Peter Pan is wonderful, and I'm so pleased to see other comments on here supporting it.
I made my mom rent the VHS of Mary Martin's version ALL THE TIME as a child and it's definitely the one nearest and dearest to me. I love it so.
If you don't like Hook I don't like you.
Wait, is Hanna not universally loved? I think it's Wrights best.
Prob won't see this though...
The Disney version is my favorite- the story is a natural for animation.
Ugh, this looks awful. Joe Wright's Keira collabs are amazing and Hanna is a wonderful stylistic detour, but I never bothered with The Soloist.
It saddens me that PJ Hogan's version was a flop since everyone who hasn't seen it forgets it exists and assumes there hasn't been a good Peter Pan film. I do remember seeing Hook as a child, but having to leave the theatre with my family since I got sick midway through. To be honest, I'm not sure if I ever bothered to watch the rest.
As a confirmed Joe Wright fan I went and saw "Pan" today, in spite of the dismissive critical opinions on the internet. There are definitely problems, the screenplay is disjointed, and the dialogue needs work. I don't particularly like Garrett Hedlund's performance.
But some of the visual elements are brilliant. Overall, I would say about 6 out of 10 as a rating. There were parts that were really captivating, and the children in the audience seemed to be enjoying it.
But for me, the 2003 version is the best version,and Jason Issacs as Hook can't be beat. As for "Pan" and Joe Wright I prefer to be charitable. After all, every director has a miss now and then, but at least this was an ambitious try.
Wright has lots of talent, and it's clear he wants to do a musical, but he needs a better script.
"Hanna"is an absolute masterpiece - easily my favorite movie Joe Wright movie - three fantastic performances by Cate Blanchett and Saoirse Ronan and Tom Hollander. Brilliantly directed, masterful cinematography and editing. Great score by The Chemical Brothers. I fucking love "Hanna"!.
Ulrich - it is. Hanna is the type of movie that will only grow in reputation as the years pass.
I've seen both Disney animated Peter Pan, the 2003 version, Finding Neverland and Hook.
The animated film from 1953 is lovely, the sequel is... not bad, but unnecessary. The 2003 version was okay, I don't care much for it. Finding Neverland was quite good actualkly. Nice performances by Depp and Winslet.
Hook is simply a guilty pleasure for me. I just can't NOT love it. Robin Williams... gawd, I still miss him so much. Forever love. I grew up with this movie, the internet taught me it was Glenn Close in a small but absolutely delightful cameo as the male pirate that is thrown in the box with the scorpions (what was the english title for that again? In german it's "Pfui-Bah Kiste"). Lol
I always get teary at the "oh there you are, Peter"-scene. I love the score so much.
I love JuRo as Tinkerbell.... I love everything, even if most people find it silly and embarrassing. I love a lot of movies people find silly and embarrassing. 8D
I don't think I've seen more than two of these and I don't have a favorite. (I did the musical when I was a little kid, but for some reason all that remains magical for me are the songs...)
I actually think Jackman looks totally hot in most of the images for this new movie. Straight out of a Velazquez portrait.
The Glenn Close scene in "Hook" traumatized me as a child. Took me YEARS to realize it was her and that she probably had a blast doing it.
thnks alot of information