Peter and the Starcatchers
 | |
| Author | Dave Barry Ridley Pearson |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Greg Call |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Hyperion Books for Children |
Publication date | 2004 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 452 (hardcover edition) |
| ISBN | 0-7868-5445-6 |
| OCLC | 56111836 |
| LC Class | PZ7.B278 Pe 2004 |
| Followed by | Peter and the Shadow Thieves |
Peter and the Starcatchers is a children's novel that was published by Hyperion Books, a subsidiary of Disney, in 2004. Written by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, and illustrated by Greg Call, the book is a reinterpretation of the character Peter Pan, who first appeared in J. M. Barrie's novel Peter and Wendy. Although frequently reported to be a prequel to Barrie's novel, it is in fact a reimagining and reboot of Peter Pan's world, with very different character histories and internal world-building.
The book is followed by four sequels: Peter and the Shadow Thieves (2006), Peter and the Secret of Rundoon (2007), Peter and the Sword of Mercy (2009), and The Bridge to Neverland (2011). A series of Never Land chapter books for younger readers is based on the novels.
In 2005, Disney hired Jay Wolpert to adapt the book to film, reportedly to use 3D animation.[1]
A play with music adaptation of the book debuted in winter 2009 at La Jolla Playhouse, as part of an arrangement with Disney Theatrical.[2] It was re-staged Off-Broadway in 2011 and opened on Broadway April 15, 2012, at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.
On May 17, 2012 Walt Disney Pictures announced that a film version of the book would be written by Jesse Wigutow.[1] On August 20, 2012, The Hunger Games (movie) director Gary Ross agreed to direct the movie. Filming was expected to begin in 2013.[3]
Plot summary
The story is an adventure on the high seas and on the faraway Mollusk Island. An orphan boy named Peter and his mysterious new friend, Molly, overcome bands of pirates and thieves in their quest to keep a magical secret safe and save the world from evil. Villains include the scary but somehow familiar pirate captain "Black Stache" and the ferocious crocodile Mister Grin.
Molly and Peter take a voyage with Alf, James, Thomas, Prentiss, Tubby Ted, Slank and Little Richard from a filthy, crime-ridden port in Old England across the turbulent sea. Aboard the Never Land is a trunk that holds the "greatest treasure on earth," thought by its pursuers to be gold or jewels but revealed to be "starstuff," an alien chemical element (delivered to Earth by meteor strikes) that can either give people and animals magic powers, or kill them, depending on the dosage and other factors. The trunk is moved from place to place through storms and sea battles: once in a dry, guarded cabin, next in a ship full of greedy pirates, and then out in the open sea.
While on the ship, both Peter and Molly become close as they take on Slank and many other villains, including pirates. While they try to keep the starstuff out of the wrong hands, the Never Land shipwrecks and Molly saves Peter from death, and they fly for an unknown island.
When the shipwreck led them to a mysterious island, known as Mollusk Island, Molly is kidnapped by Slank and Peter saves her from him, along with the help of James, Thomas, Prentiss, and Tubby Ted who all go by the gang name, The Lost Boys. Peter also does battle against Black Stache and cuts off his hand with a sword; the amputee pirate will adopt the moniker "Captain Hook". The book ends with Molly and Peter saying goodbye to each other and with Peter promising to visit her in England. Molly and her father, Lord Leonard Aster, return to the real world, while Peter and the Lost Boys remain on Mollusk Island, which they rename "Neverland," the name of the ship that was shipwrecked. (However, the sequels still call the island Mollusk Island more often than Neverland.)
Differences from the works of Barrie
Although Peter and the Starcatchers and its follow-ups are sometimes advertised as "prequels" to Peter and Wendy, the series is in fact a complete continuity reboot, which "borrows" Peter and other characters to create a self-sufficient universe. There are a number of differences between the Starcatchers series and the original novel, particularly contradicting the material in The Little White Bird, itself not consistent with Barrie's other Peter Pan works. The treatment of magic is presented very differently from anything Barrie ever wrote. The series eschews the notion that there is an age limit on the use of magic, or that certain beings can be saved from death by sympathetic gestures and wishes. Most of these differences are established in the first book in the series.
Film adaptation
On May 17, 2012, it was announced by Walt Disney Pictures that a motion picture of the novel will be made. It was also reported that Jesse Wigutow will write the script for the film. On August 20, 2012, Gary Ross, the director of The Hunger Games, signed on to direct the film, with filming expected to start in 2013.[citation needed] As of 2015, nothing else is known to have taken place.[4]
References
- ^ a b "Disney moves forward on Peter and the Starcatchers". Movie News. May 17, 2012. Archived from the original on February 16, 2007.
- ^ Jones, Kenneth (2008-07-28). "Can He Fly? Disney and La Jolla Will Test Wings of Starcatchers — a Peter Pan Prequel". Playbill.com. Archived from the original on 2008-07-31. Retrieved 2008-07-29.
- ^ Foreman, Liza (August 21, 2012). "'Hunger Games' director signs with Disney". The Washington Post.
- ^ Thomlison, Adam. "Q&A". TV Media. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
External links
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