Disney shared a new photo of Peter and Wendy's Mr. Smee, played by Jim Gaffigan.
Set to release on April 28 on Disney+, Peter Pan and Wendy is the latest reboot of the classic J.M. Barrie story, which has seen numerous animated and live-action retellings over the decades.
Now, out ahead of the film's debut, Disney has revealed what to expect from its new interpretation of Captain Hook's first mate.
Disney Reveals Jim Gaffigan as Mr. Smee
Disney has shared a first look at Jim Gaffigan as Mr. Smee for the upcoming film, Peter Pan and Wendy.
The still shows Gaffigan sporting a new spin on Mr. Smee's trademark striped shirt, red cap, and spectacles.
But for this film, he appears to be using an ear trumpet, suggesting his version of the character may be hard of hearing.
For reference, here's a look at Disney's animated version of Mr. Smee.
Jim Gaffigan is far from the first actor to have played the first mate in live-action.
Richard Briers played Mr. Smee in 2003's Peter Pan, and Bob Hoskins did the same in 1991's Hook directed by Steven Spielberg.
For this Disney+ movie, however, David Lowery was in the director's chair; and in an interview with CinemaBlend, Gaffigan noted Lowery's expertise, saying he's "done a lot of great stuff:"
"What I will say is it's directed by David Lowery, who’s done a lot of great stuff, but he did 'Pete’s Dragon,' so I think he understands some of this."
In true Peter Pan tradition, there can't be a Mr. Smee without a Captain Hook; and for this remake, Jude Law is playing the iconic pirate captain.
Gaffigan touched on his character's relationship with Captain Hook, revealing that "it's not the same as the cartoon version" and promising a "complexity to it that I think people are really going to like:"
"And to your question about the relationship [between Captain Hook and Smee], it’s not the same as the cartoon version, obviously. There’s a complexity to it that I think people are really going to like. There’s a complexity in all the relationships that remains authentic, but also is more grounded. In other words, there’s a reasoning behind Hook and Smee’s relationship, there’s a reasoning behind Peter [Pan’s] and everyone involved. It’s not a mystery solved kind of thing, but there’s a complexity to it that makes sense and is unique to this film."
Will Disney's Peter Pan Reboot "Hook" Audiences?
Peter Pan is a timeless story and one that cinema can't seem to help but adapt every few years.
But while various versions have come and gone, Disney's animated film has remained the gold standard.
The fact that Disney is now at the helm of this live-action version means it's worth paying attention to; and from what the still shows of Gaffigan's Smee, it looks like there may be intentional references to the company's original film.
However, from what Gaffigan shared, Peter Pan and Wendy isn't another beat-for-beat repeat of a classic cartoon but rather has something else to offer.
Just where this "grounded" reboot and its "complexities" will stand amongst the other Peter Pan films remain to be seen, but audiences will find out when Peter Pan and Wendy premieres this April.
Peter Pan and Wendy arrives on April 28 on Disney+.
