9 Movies That Bombed Twice
3. Peter Pan & Pan
When it comes to the definitive film version of Peter Pan you’re likely in one of two camps. It’s either all about the 1953 Disney animated classic, or 1991’s Hook starring Robin Williams. Both films offer something different and are great in their own ways.
However, Peter Pan in the cinema may have two great successes but it also has two great failures.
In 2003, Universal Studios tried their hand at making a live action film of J.M. Barrie's novel with Jason Isaacs as the villainous Captain Hook. The movie struggled without a strong, recognisable cast and the looming shadow of Lord of the Rings: Return of the King which had released one week prior.
Even taking the film’s reportedly $100m in marketing out of consideration, it was a flop that not only failed to make back its budget but has left no significant impact on the pantheon of Peter Pan adaptations.
In 2015, Warner Bros greenlit their own retelling of the source material that unfortunately found the same fate. Focusing on a younger version of the story’s villain, the film however was to be titled “Pan” as a nod to 1991’s “Hook”. Over-reliance on CGI, a lack of strong casting and whitewashing controversies didn’t help its story that offered nothing new.
Yet again ignoring a $100m of marketing money, Pan like Peter Pan before it still fell short of its budget by several million dollars.