Disney
Released in 1953, Disney’s Peter Pan remains a family favorite today and boasts a sequel, a live-action reboot, and a series of straight-to-video movies starring Tinker Bell, and a TV cartoon called Jake and the Never Land Pirates. With Disney+, you can watch Peter Pan online. The film was a long-time project for Walt Disney, who had tried to make a deal for film rights to Peter Pan a number of times; he would finally gain film rights in 1939 and his movie would release 16 years later.
Though the film faces criticism because of its portrayal of Indian characters, overall response to the project was favorable, and interest in the film and its songs continues. Families are now watching Peter Pan streaming. Peter Pan had a budget of $4 million, and has grossed more than $450 million when box office totals are adjusted for inflation. Peter Pan would be the first film that all nine of Disney’s original animators, called Disney’s Nine Old Men, would collaborate on. Here’s how to stream Peter Pan right now:
How to Stream Peter Pan – Exclusively on Disney+
Peter Pan is one of the fan-favorite Disney original movies that will be streaming exclusively on Disney’s new subscription streaming service, Disney+.
You can sign up for a 7-day free trial of Disney+ HERE, which will allow you to stream Peter Pan and hundreds of other movies and shows on your computer, phone, tablet, smart TV or streaming device. If you extend past the free trial, the service costs $6.99/month. You may also opt for this discount bundle of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ for $12.99/month.
- 1. Sign up for Disney+ here
- 2. Go to Disneyplus.com or download the Disney+ app on your device
- 3. Log in using your information
- 4. Search for “Peter Pan”
- 5. Tap on “Peter Pan”
- 6. Tap the PLAY button
Disney+ also boasts a vast library of Disney-owned movies and series — plus several new original series coming soon. The service includes unlimited downloads so you can watch offline whenever and wherever you want. The list of compatible devices and smart TVs includes iPads, Apple TV, Amazon devices, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Chromecast, Roku, PS4, and Xbox One.
Peter Pan: Overview
Release Date: February 5, 1953
Creators: J. M. Barrie, Ted Sears, Erdman Penner, Bill Peet, Winston Hibler, Joe Rinaldi, Milt Banta, Ralph Wright, William Bottrell
Director: Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske
Starring: Bobby Driscoll, Kathryn Beaumont, Hans Conried, Paul Collins, Tom Conway
Rating: G
Synopsis: Wendy, John, and Michael Darling are whisked away to Neverland by Peter Pan, the hero of their favorite stories, where they must help him defeat Captain Hook.
How Long Is Peter Pan?
Peter Pan has a running time of 76 minutes.
Peter Pan Plot
Wendy Darling is telling her brothers, John and Michael, of another daring adventure of Peter Pan. Her father overhears and, believing the stories are too impractical for his children, tells Wendy she is too old to stay in the nursery and this will be her last night. After their parents leave, Peter Pan, himself, visits the nursery, along with his fairy friend, Tinker Bell.
They teach the children to fly and invite them to Never Land. Once there, the Darling children and Peter disrupt Captain Hook’s crew. Peter once cut off Captain Hook’s hand and now the captain wants revenge. Tinker Bell, jealous of the attention Peter is giving Wendy, convinces the Lost Boys, Peter’s friends, to shoot down Wendy when she is flying. Peter learns of this and banishes Tink from the camp.
Meanwhile, John and Michael go Indian hunting with the Lost Boys but are captured by the Indians, who believe Peter has taken Tiger Lily, the chief’s daughter prisoner. Peter and Wendy, meanwhile, are visiting the mermaids. They see Hook and his first mate, Mr. Smee, with Tiger Lily, trying to get her to tell where Peter’s hideout is.
Peter and Wendy save Tiger Lily and are considered heroes by the tribe. Hook sees how jealous Tink is of Wendy and uses her to get to Peter. He tricks her into revealing where Peter’s hideout is. Wendy and her brothers have gotten homesick and want to go home. They invite the Lost Boys and Peter to come, too, so they can be adopted by the Darling family. The Lost Boys like this idea but Peter refuses. The pirates are waiting at the hideout and capture Wendy and the Lost Boys. They leave a bomb behind to get Peter but Tink snatches it just in time to save Peter. Peter rescues Tink from the rubble and they go after the pirates together.
Peter and Captain Hook battle and Peter wins again when the Tick Tock Crock arrives, scaring the captain into running away. Peter takes over their ship and with Tink’s help takes the children back home in it. Once in London, the Lost Boys decide they want to stay with Peter and return to Never Land. Wendy falls asleep at the window, watching them leave.
Her mother wakes her and Wendy points to a cloud that is shaped like a pirate ship. Her father sees it and recognizes it from his own childhood. He agrees that Wendy can stay in the nursery.
Peter Pan Cast
Unlike more modern-day animated features, Disney pulled from radio for the voices for Peter Pan. Radio actors were felt to have more dramatic delivery by some in the industry. Here are the main actors from Disney’s Peter Pan:
Bobby Driscoll as Peter Pan
Peter Pan likes being the head of the Lost Boys, fighting Captain Hook, and never plans to grow up. Bobby Driscoll began acting at the age of five and would appear in films and TV series including Rawhide, TV Reader’s Digest episodes, and The Millionaire. He is best known as Peter in Peter Pan.
Hans Conried as Captain Hook/Mr. Darling
The villainous Captain Hook wants to repay Peter Pan for cutting off his hand. Hans Conried was a veteran Hollywood actor who appeared in more than 200 movies and television shows over the course of his career. He is best known as Captain Hook in Peter Pan, but would also appear in The Tony Randall Show, Alice, and Love, American Style.
Kathryn Beaumont as Wendy
Wendy likes to entertain her brothers with stories about Peter Pan, and tends to mother everyone around her. Kathryn Beaumont’s breakout role was as Alice in Disney’s Alice in Wonderland. She would appear as either Alice or Wendy in Disney video games, including Kingdome Hearts, and TV series, including House of Mouse, throughout her career.
Tom Conway as The Narrator
Tom Conway provided the opening narration for the film. He was a well-known actor, with several appearances in horror films and roles in several Alfred Hitchcock Presents TV episodes. He would also appear in Rawhide, Suspicion, and Have Gun Will Travel.
‘PETER PAN’ Songs and Soundtrack
Oliver Wallace is credited with scoring the film, but several musicians and lyricists collaborated on the music for the film including Sammy Cahn, Sammy Fain, Winston Hibler, and Frank Churchill. The title song, Second Star to the Right, was originally created to be part of the Alice in Wonderland film, but was changed to better fit Peter Pan. Songs from the film have appeared on several Disney soundtracks including 40 Happy Years of Disney Favorites; and a 1997 re-released soundtrack included two bonus tracks. The first was the song Never Smile at a Crocodile and the second was an early demo of The Boatswain’s Song.
‘PETER PAN’ at the Box Office
During the initial box office run, Peter Pan brought in $7 million. Its earning since, adjusted for inflation, are estimated to be over $405 million thanks in part to re-releases of the film in 1958, 1969, 1976, 1982, and 1989.
‘PETER PAN’ Reviews – What the Critics Said
Peter Pan received mostly positive reviews upon its release, though some critics did say that it veered too far from J. M. Barrie’s original play. Critics liked the animation, calling the backgrounds ‘picturesque’ and the film overall as ‘enchanting’. But, in recent years, controversy has arisen over the way the film portrayed the Indians in the film, with many saying the portrayal was stereotypical. Controversy over the portrayal is rumored to be the reason that the 2002 sequel, Return to Never Land, did not include Indians at all. The film holds an 80% approval rating from both critics and audience members on Rotten Tomatoes.
Where ‘Peter Pan’ Fits in the Peter Pan Pantheon
One of the first break-out successes from Disney, Peter Pan continues to be a strong player for the company today. The film boasts a sequel, along with a handful of spin-offs including the TV series Jake and the Never Land Pirates, and a series of Tinker Bell straight-to-video films. A live action reboot is underway, but no details have been released about its release. Characters from the movie have been featured in a series of books, theme park rides, ice shows, and video games. The opening line, spoken by the narrator, “All this has happened before…and it will again,” has been used as inspiration in other TV series, including Battlestar Gallactica, and even music, such as Information Society’s Seek 200.
‘PETER PAN’ Trailer
‘PETER PAN’ Trivia: 5 Fast Facts
Peter Pan was the 14th Disney Animated Feature, and more than fifty years after its debut it is still a favorite of families and critics. The film received a sequel in 2002 and a live-action reboot is in the works. Here are five fast facts about the film:
1. Peter Pan Nomiated for Grand Prize at Cannes
At the sixth Cannes Film Festival, held in 1953, Peter Pan was nominated for the Grand Prize. It would lose the grand prize to The Wages of Fear, but Walt Disney was awarded the Legion of Honor award, a special jury prize, at the festival for his contributions to film.
2. Disney Thanks Children’s Hospital
J. M. Barrie, who wrote the original Peter Pan stories, famously gave his copyright to the Hospital for Sick Children in London. Film rights for a while were held by Paramount Pictures, and the hospital and Disney couldn’t make a deal with Paramount to start working on a movie. That changed when Disney secured film rights to the play in 1939. In the credits for the Disney film, Walt Disney offered his thanks to the hospital.
3. Marilyn Monroe Was Not a Mermaid Model
Theories have abounded that the red-headed mermaid in Never Land was modeled after Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe. This is untrue. The real-life model for that mermaid was Margaret Kerry; Kerry also provided the voice for the mermaid.
4. Hook Gets Postage Stamp
Disney and the United States Postal Service collaborated on a set of commemorative stamps, all featuring Disney Villains. Captain Hook was one of the villains chosen. The other Villains including Cinderella’s Step-Mother, the Evil Queen from Snow White, Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty, Honest John from Pinocchio, Scar from The Lion King, Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, and Cruella DeVille from 101 Dalmations.
5. Peter Pan is First Disney Film Created by the Nine Old Men
Peter Pan was the first Disney film on which all of Disney’s Nine Old Men – Les Clark, Marc Davis, Ollie Johnston, Milt Kahl, Ward Kimball, Eric Larson, John Lounsbery, Wolfgang Reitherman, and Frank Thomas – collaborated. All nine have been named Disney Legends. The men were all animators and some would also direct different films for Disney. Many of today’s animators can tie their training back to the Nine Old Men, either through apprenticeships at Disney Animation or through classwork at CalArts.