Discover Neverland in the First Trailer for Joe Wright's 'Pan' starring Hugh Jackman

Are you ready for a fresh take on J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan? Granted, retellings of classic fairy tales are nothing new nowadays but Joe Wright, the visual maestro behind Atonement, Hanna, and the gorgeous Anna Karenina, is hoping to truly bring something new to the table with Pan, an origin story about how the boy who never grew up became a hero.

We've already seen a handful of images so we know Wright is bringing a bold look to the film, beginning with the garishly-designed characters we're all familiar with. That begins with Hugh Jackman as the dread pirate Blackbeard, who is the villain here rather than Hook, played by Garrett Hedlund. Hook is more of a dashing adventurer at this point, and a friend to Peter, who is played by newcomer Levi Miller.

For all of Wright's skill as a filmmaker, there's something hokey about live-action versions of Peter Pan, and this one unfortunately seems too much like Steven Spielberg's Hook, which was a terrible misfire. Also starring Rooney Mara, Amanda Seyfried, and Cara Delevingne, Pan opens July 17th 2015.

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First Look at Hugh Jackman as Blackbeard in Images from Joe Wright's 'Pan'

Movies based on J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan have been pretty hit or miss. Everybody appreciates the animated Disney classic, but there are probably just as many detractors as admirers of Steven Spielberg's Hook. While I have a special fondness for P.J. Hogan's Peter Pan film that sadly nobody bothered to see, it stands that the best live-action film on the subject may have been Finding Neverland, which is about the author not the story. Next year Joe Wright hopes to cast the Peter Pan story in a different light with Pan, an origin story that will star Hugh Jackman as the dread pirate Blackbeard, rather than Captain Hook.

That's not to say Hook won't appear, because he will played by Garrett Hedlund, but in these first images it's Blackbeard in the spotlight. We also get a look at Levi Miller as Peter Pan, armed with his sword and ready for swashbuckling action. In this film, penned by Jason Fuchs, Peter is an orphan kidnapped by Blackbeard's men (Hook is part of the crew) and whisked away to Neverland where he learns from the natives that he's destined to be a hero.

While Jackman looks a little silly here, there's also enough to suggest that Wright, who has done some truly gorgeous work on Atonement, Hanna, and especially Anna Karenina, is on top of his game from a visual standpoint.  Also starring Rooney Mara, Adeel Akhtar, Amanda Seyfried, and Cara Delevingne, Pan opens July 17th.

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Mark Strong Joins 'Grimsby'; Cara Delevingne Eyes 'Pan' and 'Tulip Fever'; 'Blood Father' Enlists Erin Moriarty

* Sacha Baron Cohen just gained a sibling, and it's none other than tough guy Mark Strong. Strong has joined Cohen in the spy comedy, Grimsby, directed by Louis Leterrier. Cohen co-writes and stars in the film as the bumbling football hooligan brother to a Black Ops agent played by Strong. [Deadline]

* Supermodel Cara Delevingne continues to build up her acting cred after appearing in Joe Wright's Anna Karenina. She's now eying two high-profile roles, including one in Wright's follow-up, Pan. She's landed a small role in the dark Peter Pan origin story, joining Hugh Jackman, Garrett Hedlund, Rooney Mara, Amanda Seyfried, and Levi Miller.

Delevingne is also in talks to join Dane DeHaan and Alicia Vikander (also of Anna Karenina) in Tulip Fever, Justin Chadwick's long-developing adaptation of Deborah Moggach's period romance. The 17th century romance centers on an illicit love affair between a merchant's wife and a painter during a time when tulip mania was sweeping Amsterdam.

* Just a few days ago Mel Gibson came aboard a Taken-style action flick titled Blood Father, about an ex-con protecting his teenaged daughter from drug dealers trying to kill her. Now Erin Moriarty (The Kings of Summer, True Detective) has come aboard to play that daughter, and the plot has been expanded somewhat.  Gibson's character is described as a former member of the Hell's Angels and goes on the run with his daughter after she witnesses her boyfriend's murder. [The Tracking Board]

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Amanda Seyfried Joins 'Pan'; 'Legend' Adds Emily Browning; Zooey Deschanel Boards 'Driftless Area'

* Filming on Joe Wright's Pan kicks off Monday, and so the cast has been firmed up. Amanda Seyfried will take on the role of Mary, joining Levi Miller as Peter Pan, Hugh Jackman as Blackbeard, Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily, Adeel Akhtar as Smee, and Garrett Hedlund as Captain Hook. Also coming aboard are Jack Charles, Kathy Burke, Taejoo Na, Nonso Anozie, Kurt Egyiawan, Lewis MacDougall, and newcomer Leni Zieglmeier as Wendy Darling.

* Emily Browning will get to star with not one but two Tom Hardys in the period crime thriller, Legend, in which he plays twin gangsters Ronny and Reginald Kray. Directed by Brian Helgeland, the film will chronicle the brothers' criminal exploits and celebrity hobsnobbing throughout the 1950s and '60s. Browning will play "a young woman who tragically falls for Reggie and marries him, hoping he will change his gangster ways." [THR]

* Zooey Deschanel, Anton Yelchin, Alia Shawkat, Ciaran Hinds, and John Hawkes will star in Zachary Sluser's directorial debut, Driftless Area. Adapted from Tom Drury's novel, the film has Deschanel as "an enigmatic woman while Yelchin portrays a bartender who returns to his hometown after the death of his parents. When he falls in love with her, he is unwittingly pitted against a volatile criminal played by Hawkes." [Variety]

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Joe Wright Has Found His Peter 'Pan' in Levi Miller

So far Joe Wright's Peter Pan film, Pan, doesn't quite have the multi-racial feel he's promised. The prequel to the JM Barrie classic stars Hugh Jackman as Blackbeard, Garrett Hedlund as Captain Hook, Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily (!!!), Adeel Akhtar as Smee, and now we know newcomer Levi Miller will play the title character.

Miller will play a younger version of Pan in the origin story about a London orphan spirited away to Neverland. There he becomes a savior to the native people by leading them in a fight against the evil pirates. This will be the biggest role for Miller after appearing on Fox's failed series, Terra Nova.

Pan will open on July 17th 2015. [THR]

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Famke Janssen Back for 'Taken 3'; Guy Pearce Boards 'Black Mass'; Adeel Akhtar is Smee in 'Pan'

* For a movie that promises nobody will be taken, everybody who was taken before seems to be returning. Famke Janssen has agreed to come back for Taken 3, joining Liam Neeson and Maggie Grace as members of Mills clan. It's always been kind of weird seeing Janssen, who traditionally has played very tough, strong women characters relegated to such a helpless role, but maybe she'll get a chance to show a little more this time. Eh, doubtful. Taken 3 will again be directed by Olivier Megaton.

* Guy Pearce has joined Black Mass, the Whitey Bulger biopic fronted by Johnny Depp and co-starring Joel Edgerton. Scott Cooper (Out of the Furnace) is directing the film which centers on Bulger, the Boston mobster and FBI informant who used his dual position to gain power in the criminal ranks. With the help of his childhood friends, who happened to be FBI agents, he escaped arrest and went on the run until his capture in 2011. Pearce will play one of Bulger's two brothers. [Variety]

* Finally, a little bit of that international flavor Joe Wright promised for his Peter Pan origin story, Pan. Adeel Akhtar (Four Lions) has been cast as Smee, the right hand-man to Garrett Hedlund's Captain Hook. They join Hugh Jackman as Blackbeard and Rooney Mara as the Native American princess, Tiger Lily. Pan is set to open July 17th 2015. [TheWrap]

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Joe Wright Casts Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily in 'Pan'

Here's what The Wrap's latest report says about Joe Wright's upcoming Peter Pan origin story, Pan...

"Wright is planning to create a world that very international and multi-racial, effectively challenging audiences’ preconceived notions of Neverland and reimagining the environment."

That may be true, but surely he knows there will be some unhappy folks about his decision to cast Rooney Mara in the role of Tiger Lily, a Native American princess in Neverland. Mara will be joining Hugh Jackman, who is taking on the role of Blackbeard, and Garrett Hedlund as Captain Hook. So far it's not looking so racially diverse. Written by Jason Fuchs, Pan tells an early story of how a London orphan is taken to Neverland and becomes a hero to the natives by overthrowing the evil pirates.

Nothing against Mara as she's a terrific actress and definitely bolsters an already great cast. We'll just have to wait and see if those claims of a multi-racial version of the story hold any weight. Pan is expected to open July 17th 2015.

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Joe Wright's 'Pan' Offers Garrett Hedlund Hook Role

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Garrett Hedlund (Tron, Inside Llewyn Davis) has officially been offered the role of Captain Hook by director Joe Wright in the upcoming Warner Bros production that will explore the beginning of the iconic relationship between Peter Pan and Captain Hook who, according to THR, will start out as friends. The word gritty was used to describe this origin story...obviously my immediate reaction is to ridicule that, I mean, how can any take on Peter Pan described as "gritty" be at all faithful to the classic tale of the boy who never grew up. Then I remember the early 90's Robin Williams/Dustin Hoffman flick, Hook..yeah I know it doesn't evoke memories of anything dark and on the edge but if you look past the bright colors you'll find a very Lord of the Flies like atmosphere commanded by an almost insane seeming Rufio. Yeah...it takes a stretch of the imagination, but it's there. Staying with that line of thinking I suppose this take, which will reportedly feature Hook's early day's of piracy under the command of Blackbeard (word is Hugh Jackman will be taking that role), could actually be something less light and fluffy than what we all equate to anything Peter Pan and actually still work. 

The real question is, do people want to see a gritty origin story about the green tight wearing icon who taught us all that anything was possible with happy thoughts and imagination? 

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Hugh Jackman Sets Sail as Blackbeard in Joe Wright's 'Pan'

Just a few weeks ago a story emerged that Joe Wright had made an offer to Javier Bardem to play Blackbeard in his Peter Pan prequel, Pan, and there was question whether the blockbuster-shy actor would consider it. But after starring in Skyfall, which is no indie by any measure, it seemed like a distinct possibility. However it didn't work out that way, and instead it looks like it will be Hugh Jackman terrorizing Peter Pan instead.

Variety reports Jackman, who is coming off perhaps his darkest turn ever in Prisoners, will play the pirate villain in the Jason Fuchs-scripted film, which just landed on the 2013 Black List of best unproduced screenplays. Not that it means the movie will be good, mind you. The film will be an origin story about an orphan taken to Neverland where he grows up to lead the natives in a fight against the pirates.

With Blackbeard as the lead villain, Captain Hook is actually Pan's ally before eventually turning evil. The search is still on for the Hook role, with Ryan Gosling apparently turning it down, as well as for someone to play Pan and his love interest, Tiger Lily. Pan has been scheduled to release on June 26th 2015.

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