The London-born star is in talks to play the iconic Disney villain in the new live-action Peter Pan movie. Who else is on the board? And which actors portrayed the notorious pirate in the past?
Jude Law may be crossing his blade with heroic Peter Pan soon. The English actor has been offered the role of Captain Hook, the fabled antagonist in the new live-action adaptation of classic J. M. Barrie novel. The Disney’s film named “Peter Pan & Wendy” is going to be directed by David Lowery (Pete’s Dragon) who also co-wrote the script with Toby Halbrooks. The child actor Alexander Molony (Claude TV series) was cast earlier as Peter Pan and Ever Anderson, the daughter of famous parents Paul W. S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil), is set to play Wendy Darling. The release date of the ambitious-looking project is unknown so far.
The well-known tale of a boy who wouldn’t grow up and recruits three young siblings in London to join him on adventure to the magical Neverland island has been filmed multiple times before. While the most successful is still the animated version from 1953, Jude Law will be joining the mighty company of brilliant actors who portrayed the one-handed pirate captain in the previous years (if he accepts the part, of course). Let’s commemorate the best live-action Captain Hooks in the history of cinematography. Who is your personal favourite? And can Law surpass these guys?
4. Christopher Walken
The established American actor played Captain Hook in 2014 musical version of the story Peter Pan Live! directed by Rob Ashford and Glenn Weiss. Although Walken showed decent acting and singing performance at once, his James Hook seems to be kind of forgotten today by majority of the movie fans.
3. Rhys Ifans
The Welsh actor portrayed Hook in untraditional TV adaptation Neverland (2011) from screenwriter and director Nick Willing. Rhys’s captain is very different from the others. He does not have a moustache, uses both hands and calls himself “Jimmy”. Ifans definitely gave the character another dimension. Still, he probably isn’t the number one for most of the audience.
2. Jason Isaacs
While P. J. Hogan’s 2003 Peter Pan was more or less a mediocre flick and in fact, a commercial disaster, the Jason Isaacs’s performance as demonic Captain Hook is unanimously praised by both, fans and critics. His portrayal of the pirate might be the most faithful to Hook, known from the book. However, …
1. Dustin Hoffman
…the best live-action James Hook so far was indeed the charismatic Dustin Hoffman in 1991 movie called Hook and created by legendary director Steven Spielberg. Dustin with his eccentric performance even overshadowed his arch-enemy and protagonist of the story, played by late Robin Williams. It was perhaps the only time, when I rooted for the villain more than for the hero.
Sources: coming Soon / Hollywood Reporter
