Why Peter Pan (2003) Is Infinitely Better Than Peter Pan & Wendy (2023)

Peter Pan (2003) is top-tier romance, a masterpiece, pure cinema, book-to-screen adaptation at its finest—

Timestamps:
Intro 00:00 - 00:57
Visuals + Worldbuilding 00:57 - 2:25
MC Characterization 2:25 - 9:06
Supporting Cast Characterization 9:06 - 11:10
Dramatization 11:10 - 12:50
Peter & Wendy 12:50 - 15:03
Conclusion 15:03 - 15:50

Music Credits:
Icon Credits:

[geeves]

The 2003 Peter Pan is honestly one of my favorite movies of all time!! It captures such a fantastical whimsy that I've never felt with anything else. Peter and Wendy's pure, innocent love tugs on my heart every time. And the music makes me feel like flying too ❤🥹❤

[hawkeyenextgen]

To be honest, I think the 2003 Peter Pan hits home a very important message; "Just because one must grow up, doesn't mean one has to stop caring for others."

Hook basically represents everything that Peter Pans fears he'll become, a senile and cynical old man with no joy or fun in his heart, which in a twist of irony, makes Hook just as much a child as Peter. So out of fear, Peter remains a carefree boy in the hopes of avoiding such a horrible fate.

Wendy proves both of them wrong, in a twist of fate that proves that even grown ups can feel joy in their life in spite of everything else.

[rubenpereyra]

I completely forgot the ‘23 film existed. But I will never, never, forget the 03 film

[petarmilich]

There is an Easter egg about Hook’s backstory in the 2003 version. Hook has the crest of Eton College tattooed on his left shoulder, which is where he went to school in the book, a major source of pride for him and where he got his obsession with “good form.” And that alone is still better than the entirety of the new backstory in the 2023 version.

[heatherbagley]

I'm going to add my 2 cents because I JUST watched 2003 again last night and it's by far one of my favorite movies ever.

I need to talk about the GENIUS use of lighting in this movie. It's incredibly specific. At the basic levels, they cast sad, unhappy characters in a cool lighting, and happy, joyful characters in a warm lighting. Throughout most of the movie, Peter/Wendy are bathed in warmth, while Hook is almost always in a cool-toned lighting. The biggest place this switches is in the climax scene, where Hook is taunting Peter. Hook is cast in a warm lighting to show how he genuinely takes joy in tormenting a boy, while Peter is thrown into shadow/cool light as he falls into despair at the thought of Wendy leaving him. Another example of this is the dance/argument scene. While dancing, the fairies' glow gives the scene and characters warmth, but when the moment is broken, and the argument ensues, Peter and Wendy are in shadow. This makes the ending scene even more significant, because while Peter is leaving the window, he's in shadow/cool light, while Wendy, with her family, is in warm light. Despite the light-hearted banter the two share, the lighting shows that deep down, Peter is genuinely sad to be leaving Wendy, while Wendy as matured enough to be happy and content at home.

Another point I'd like to make is that Hook is supposed to represent everything the children fear in growing up. He's played by the same man that plays Mr. Darling (Jason Isaacs, who, fun fact, also plays Lucius Malfoy), and this concept in alluded to in really clever, subtle ways throughout the movie. Like, for example, when Hook is slowly sinking towards Tick Tock Crock, he starts shouting out 'happy thoughts', which mostly consist of harming others, but also include things like 'lawyers' and 'dentists'.

Conclusion: I love this movie and the older I get the guiltier I feel because I still have a crush on Jeremy Sumpter's Peter Pan.

[violettegami]

No seriously, 2003 peter is such a charming boy, I remember crushing on him _so bad_ as a child. Compared to the 2023, I kinda see that peter pan boring? He looked just like your regular naughty boy that coincidentally was made the leader of the group cause he's the first to arrive in class.
Also, I can't believe they remove the sub-plot romance scenes of Wendy & Peter 😢. Like, the 03 duo have such good chemistry that it felt natural for them to get together, while 23 Wendy felt like she was underminding Peter's role, and even replacing him at times.

[withlove]

Basically: the 2003 version was a proper coming of age story, including the romantic and gendered aspects of becoming an adult.
The 2023 version is all about #GirlBoss.

[ivanatinkle]

there is no way anyone who supports the 2023 version can still like it after this video...the 2003 version is so much more magical

[kristianliljegren]

I haven't seen the Disney remake, but the 2003 version is my favourite Peter Pan adaptation, of all time. I love how they added so many layers to Peter's and Wendy's relationship and how they also explored the dark side of never growing up. When Wendy says "You're just a boy" to Peter after their fight and Hook says "She was leaving you, Pan", it is truly heartbreaking.

[BetterWithBob]

I got to meet Jeremy Sumpter over Zoom a few months ago and say "how does it feel to be the best Peter Pan, and I say this as a lifelong Robin Williams fan" or something like that. He was very flattered.

[manuelroubos]

Also the music! The music in the 2003 film is so good! Tracks as I do believe in fairies and the main title soundtrack are composed by such a great composer

[annecurtis]

At least you get nostalgic for the '03 movie because I don't think anyone will have the same feeling for the '23 one

[kris_throne]

The poster by itself didn't grab my attention like the 2003 Peter Pan, the 2003 Peter Pan will be the best forver

[kyula]

2003 all the way. It was so magical, and the chemistry between Peter and Wendy is palpable . 2023 was almost depressing to watch

[novembermedusa]

also: 2003 sexy Hook > 2023 sleazy Hook

[milky_quartz]

when wendy decides to leave home with Peter. That decision is So intense, for any human, but for a child to make that decision, and with such pure intentions of innocent curiosity, it's what makes the first movie so powerful.

[shannonmcelroy]

One thing that the movie is constantly at war with itself over is its confusing stance on motherhood, which the novel itself handled with maturity. In this film, we hear multiple times that not only does Wendy not have any interest in motherhood, but she treats her own mother with scorn and indignation even when she's comforting her daughter, as if her traditional life is to blame and needs to be fully erased. But then, in the next breath, Wendy sees Hook as deserving of sympathy because he longed for his own mother, even though she was scoffing at the idea just a few moments ago. The film itself can't be honest about what it's communicating because it's only pretending to be endorsing values as long as it's convenient but when it's time to actually think about what was introduced, it freezes up. If that isn't hypocrisy, I don't know what is.

[everythinggirly]

You did a great job at elaborating on the differences between these two movies. I haven't read the novel, so I don't really care about accuracy. I just like the idea behind Peter Pan, and it's interesting to see various takes on the story. The 2003 version has everything I could ask for from a Peter Pan movie. It's a whimsical adventure that appeals to children but does not shy away from darker moments and conveys a powerful message. I especially love how it portrays Peter and Hook as complex characters whose rivalry doesn't need a backstory. It also gives us a Wendy who is adventurous but also caring and mature. Furthermore, this version of Neverland actually feels like a child's dream brought to life.
As for the 2023 version, I liked that it presented yet another take on the story. There was a really interesting concept of Wendy being "too old" for Neverland and the children being suspicious of her because of that. It seemed that she was meant to be a mediator between Peter and Hook. However, because of their backstory, Wendy's age didn't end up being relevant. As it was, none of the characters had any interesting dynamics, and it felt like the movie was held back by its own agenda

[salazar]

It feels like Wendy is more annoyed with Peter in the 2023 version and maybe even hates him. In the 2003 version, their relationship is so much more complex. Wendy likes Peter, but she's frustrated by his immaturity.

[sirorliktheironclad]

As a big fan of Disney's original Peter Pan and the 2003 film, I agree with all of your points.