Normally, when a filmmaker steps away for almost a decade, it’s at a point in their career when they’ve established themselves and are perfectly fine being away from the industry. However, in the case of director Benh Zeitlin, after his 2012 film “Beasts of the Southern Wild” was released, he’s been quiet for the better part of the 2010s, which is shocking considering he only has one film under his belt and that film was nominated for multiple Oscars. For most filmmakers, this is the rocket-powered launch to a career that propels you to make films at a breakneck pace.
However, here we are, at the tail-end of 2019 and we’re just now getting a first look at Zeitlin’s ‘Beasts’ follow-up, the upcoming drama titled “Wendy.” As described by the brief synopsis, “Wendy” is a re-imagining of the classic Peter Pan tale, but told through the lens of the man who brought audiences “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” And if that film is any indication, then simply describing “Wendy” as another Peter Pan story is probably a bit of an understatement.
Here’s the full synopsis:
The classic story of Peter Pan is wildly reimagined in this ragtag epic from Benh Zeitlin, director of BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD. Lost on a mysterious island where aging and time have come unglued, Wendy must fight to save her family, her freedom, and the joyous spirit of youth from the deadly peril of growing up.
“Wendy” is directed by Zeitlin, who co-wrote the film along with his younger sister Eliza Zeitlin. The film has been acquired by Fox Searchlight and will be released on February 28, 2020. While that isn’t necessarily the prime spot for a film hoping to get awards contention, as ‘Beasts’ did, it does provide “Wendy” with the opportunity to debut at an early 2020 film festival, such as Sundance, where Zeitlin’s previous film debuted and immediately earned acclaim.
Also, coinciding with this first look is a new video released by Fox Searchlight, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary:
