Return to Never Land#Video game

Many years after her trip to Neverland, a fully grown Wendy Darling, who maintains her belief and knowledge of Peter Pan, is married to a soldier named Edward, and has two children, Jane and Danny. With World War II raging, Edward leaves his family to fight, leaving Wendy to take care of the children. Jane becomes cynical and, unlike her younger brother, refuses to believe in stories about Peter Pan and Neverland.

A few years later on Danny's fourth birthday, Wendy is informed that the children are scheduled for evacuation to the country the following morning. Jane refuses to go and has an argument with her mother and brother. Later that evening, Peter Pan's arch-nemesis, Captain Hook, and his pirate crew arrive on his pixie-dust enchanted ship and kidnaps Jane, mistaking her for Wendy, and takes her to Neverland, where they plan to feed Jane to an octopus to lure Peter Pan into a trap. However, Peter Pan rescues Jane, and Captain Hook escapes from the disgruntled octopus, being in the role of the Crocodile, returning to the ship. After Peter Pan learns that Jane is Wendy's daughter, he takes her to his hideout to be the mother of the Lost Boys as Wendy once was, but Jane refuses. She tries to leave the island by means of a raft, but it sinks. Peter Pan tells her that the only way to get home is by flying. The following day, the boys fail to teach Jane about flying. Annoyed by their unruly behavior, Jane loses her temper and declares that she does not believe in Neverland, particularly fairies. Her disbelief causes Tinker Bell to lose her strength and the fairy's light begins to fade.

Captain Hook, overhearing Jane's longing to return home, plans to use this to his advantage. That evening, Captain Hook promises to bring Jane home if she can find the treasure that Peter Pan and the Lost Boys stole, giving her a whistle to signal him when she finds it. Jane asks Peter Pan and the boys to play a game of "treasure hunt", and they teach Jane how to act like a Lost Boy, hoping to get her to believe in fairies and save Tinker Bell's life. Jane finds the treasure and changes her mind, discarding the whistle. The boys make her a "Lost Girl", before Tootles finds and blows the whistle, inadvertently alerting the pirates, who capture the boys and expose Jane as their accomplice. Jane tries to convince Peter Pan that it was a misunderstanding, but he berates her for her deception and reveals that her disbelief in fairies is causing Tinker Bell's light to fade.

Horrified by her mistake, Jane runs back to the hideout to find Tinker Bell's lifeless body. Jane is devastated, believing her to be dead, but her newfound belief in fairies revives her. They head to the ship and see Captain Hook forcing Peter Pan to walk the plank. With Tinker Bell's help, Jane learns to fly. As Peter Pan uses the anchor to sink the ship, the pirates, riding on a rowboat, are chased away by the octopus. After saying goodbye to the boys, Peter Pan escorts Jane back home, where she reconciles with Wendy and Danny. Peter Pan and Tinker Bell meet with Wendy again, then fly back to Neverland as Edward returns home and reunites with his family.

A new cast of voice actors were used in the film due to the original film being released nearly five decades before. Kathryn Beaumont who voiced Wendy in the first film originally recorded dialogue for the second film before Kath Soucie took over the role as Beaumont was too old to reprise her character.

• Harriet Owen as Jane, Wendy and Edward's daughter, and Danny's older sister who refuses to believe in stories, but changes her mind with Peter's help. Lianne Hughes served as the supervising animator for Jane.
• Owen also voices young Wendy Darling.
• Blayne Weaver as Peter Pan, the leader of the Lost Boys, Jane's new friend, and Wendy's former playmate who protects Neverland and its inhabitants. Pieter Lommerse and Andrew Collins served as the supervising animators for Peter Pan.
• Corey Burton as Captain Hook, a pirate captain and Peter Pan's arch-nemesis. Bob Baxter served as the supervising animator for Captain Hook.
• Jeff Bennett as Mr. Smee, Captain Hook's clumsy and innocent first mate and right-hand man.
• Kath Soucie as Wendy Darling, Jane and Danny's mother, Michael and John's older sister, Edward's wife, and Peter's former playmate. Ryan O'Loughlin served as the supervising animator for Wendy Darling. Kathryn Beaumont, who voiced Wendy in the original film, recorded dialogue for the sequel, but Soucie replaced her as Beaumont's voice had aged.[https://animatedviews.com/2007/beaumont-and-kerry-leading-ladies/ Animated Views: Beaumont and Kerry: Peter Pan’s Leading Ladies] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070318020207/http://animated-views.com/2007/beaumont-and-kerry-leading-ladies/ |date=2007-03-18 }}, interview with Kathryn Beaumont
• Andrew McDonough as Daniel, nicknamed Danny, Wendy and Edward's son and Jane's younger brother who believes in his mother's stories of Peter Pan.
• Roger Rees as Edward, a surviving soldier, Wendy's husband, and Jane and Danny's father. Rees would later serve as co-playwright for another Peter Pan project, the stage adaptation of Peter and the Starcatcher.
• The Lost Boys, Peter's best friends:
• Spencer Breslin as Cubby, a lost boy in a bear costume.
• Bradley Pierce as Nibs, a lost boy in a rabbit costume.
• Quinn Beswick as Slightly, a lost boy in a fox costume.
• Aaron Spann as Twins, the lost boys in raccoon costumes.
• Tootles, a mute lost boy in a skunk costume.
• Frank Welker as The Octopus, who seeks to consume Captain Hook, similar to the Crocodile in the original film.
• Clive Revill as the film's narrator.

Disney MovieToons/Disney Video Premiere developed the project and then assigned the work for Peter and Jane to Disney Animation Canada. The film was a Peter Pan sequel originally designed as its first theatrical release. In fall 1999, the Canadian unit stopped work on what was then a video release. With Canada's closure, the work on Peter and Jane was instead moved to the Walt Disney Animation Australia and Walt Disney Animation Japan units.{{cite news|last=Poirier|first=Agnes|title=Disney pulls plug on Canadian animation studios|url=https://www.screendaily.com/disney-pulls-plug-on-canadian-animation-studios/401389.article|access-date=March 23, 2013|newspaper=Screendaily.com|date=February 15, 2000|archive-date=October 17, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017210416/http://www.screendaily.com/disney-pulls-plug-on-canadian-animation-studios/401389.article|url-status=live}} In March 2001, Disney announced that the film would revert to a theatrical release due to positive reception by company execs{{Cite web |last=Hettrick |first=Scott |date=2001-03-07 |title='Peter Pan' vid grows up |url=https://variety.com/2001/film/news/peter-pan-vid-grows-up-1117794882/ |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} and would release as part of the Disney MovieToons division.{{cite news|last=Baisley|first=Sarah|title=DisneyToon Studios Builds Slate Under New Name and Homes for Needy|url=https://www.awn.com/news/disneytoon-studios-builds-slate-under-new-name-and-homes-needy|access-date=February 26, 2013|newspaper=Animation World Network|date=June 16, 2003|archive-date=March 22, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130322135919/http://www.awn.com/news/films/disneytoon-studios-builds-slate-under-new-name-and-homes-needy|url-status=live}} Cornerstone Animation was then contracted to do animation direction.{{cite news|last1=Bloom|first1=David|title=Cornerstone Animation Takes Hit|url=https://www.awn.com/news/cornerstone-animation-takes-hit|access-date=March 21, 2017|work=Animation World Network|date=August 13, 2002|archive-date=March 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322113603/http://www.awn.com/news/cornerstone-animation-takes-hit|url-status=live}}

Due to the controversy of the first film, the Native-Americans are completely absent in the sequel, but it does show their teepees and totem poles in one sequence. Also following these changes, the mermaids are given brassieres since their appearances in its predecessor were considered sexualized.

A video game based on the film, titled Peter Pan: Adventures in Never Land was released by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation and Disney Interactive for Windows. An abridged version for the Game Boy Advance was also released the same year.{{Cite web |last=Dunham |first=Jeremy |date=March 18, 2002 |title=Peter Pan in Disney's Return to Never Land |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/03/18/peter-pan-in-disneys-return-to-never-land |website=IGN}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Peter Pan in Disney's Return to Never Land

| type = soundtrack

| artist = Various artists

| alt =

| released = February 5, 2002

| venue =

| studio =

| length = 54:06

| label = Walt Disney

| producer = {{flatlist|

• Joel McNeely
• John Flansburgh}}

}}

Several original songs were written for the film: "I'll Try" (written and performed by Jonatha Brooke, which is put into three different versions. A short version; sung at the beginning of the film, a reprise; heard towards the film's climax, and a full version; which is used in the end credits), "Here We Go Another Plan" (written by Randy Rogel and performed by Jeff Bennett), and "So to Be One of Us"/"Now that You're One of Us" (written by They Might Be Giants).

The song "Second Star to the Right" from the original film is covered by Jonatha Brooke. The soundtrack also includes a cover of "Do You Believe in Magic?" by BBMak, which is also heard in the end credits.

The end title version of "I'll Try" was produced by Stewart Levine.

The score for the film was composed by Joel McNeely.{{cite web|url=https://animatedviews.com/2008/bruce-broughton-the-great-prince-of-bambi-iis-music/|title=Jonatha Brooke and Joel McNeely: the Pixie-Powered Music of Return To Neverland!|last=Noyer|first=Jérémie|date=February 11, 2008|website=Animated Views|access-date=December 18, 2023}}

{{Track listing

| all_writing =

| all_lyrics =

| all_music =

| extra_column = Performer(s)

| title1 = Do You Believe in Magic?

| extra1 = BBMak

| length1 = 3:00

| title2 = Main Title (Score)

| extra2 = Joel McNeely

| length2 = 2:08

| title3 = The Second Star to the Right

| extra3 = Jonatha Brooke

| length3 = 1:57

| title4 = The Tale of Pan (Score)

| extra4 = Joel McNeely

| length4 = 1:44

| title5 = I'll Try

| extra5 = Jonatha Brooke

| length5 = 4:07

| title6 = Jane Is Kidnapped (Score)

| extra6 = Joel McNeely

| length6 = 3:35

| title7 = A Childhood Lost (Score)

| extra7 = Joel McNeely

| length7 = 2:35

| title8 = Here We Go Another Plan

| extra8 = Jeff Bennett

| length8 = 0:24

| title9 = Summoning the Octopus/Pan Saves Jane (Score)

| extra9 = Joel McNeely

| length9 = 2:41

| title10 = Flight Through Never Land (Score)

| extra10 = Joel McNeely

| length10 = 2:42

| title11 = So to Be One of Us

| extra11 = Blayne Weaver, Harriet Owen, Spencer Breslin, Bradley Pierce, Aaron Spann, The Lost Boys Chorus: Jonnie Hall, D.J. Harper, Nils Montan, Bobbi Page, Wally Wingert, Lauren Wood

| length11 = 1:27

| title12 = Meet the Lost Boys (Score)

| extra12 = Joel McNeely

| length12 = 1:14

| title13 = Now that You're One of Us

| extra13 = Blayne Weaver, Harriet Owen, Spencer Breslin, Bradley Pierce, Aaron Spann, The Lost Boys Chorus: Jonnie Hall, D.J. Harper, Nils Montan, Bobbi Page, Wally Wingert, Lauren Wood

| length13 = 0:38

| title14 = Longing for Home (Score)

| extra14 = Joel McNeely

| length14 = 2:15

| title15 = Hook and the Lost Boys (Score)

| extra15 = Joel McNeely

| length15 = 3:24

| title16 = Hook Deceives Jane (Score)

| extra16 = Joel McNeely

| length16 = 2:56

| title17 = Jane Finds the Treasure (Score)

| extra17 = Joel McNeely

| length17 = 1:59

| title18 = Pan Is Captured (Score)

| extra18 = Joel McNeely

| length18 = 2:17

| title19 = I'll Try (Reprise)

| extra19 = Jonatha Brooke

| length19 = 1:08

| title20 = Jane Saves Tink and Pan (Score)

| extra20 = Joel McNeely

| length20 = 3:29

| title21 = Jane Can Fly (Score)

| extra21 = Joel McNeely

| length21 = 2:36

| title22 = Flying Home (Score)

| extra22 = Joel McNeely

| length22 = 3:29

| title23 = Reunion (Score)

| extra23 = Joel McNeely

| length23 = 2:21

}}

The film opened at the third position at the box office behind Crossroads and John Q with $11.9 million.{{cite web | url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/2002W07/ | title=Weekend Box Office Results for February 15-17, 2002 | work=Box Office Mojo | publisher=Amazon.com | date=February 19, 2002 | access-date=December 6, 2016 | archive-date=December 20, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220090204/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2002&wknd=07&p=.htm | url-status=live }} Return to Never Land grossed $48.4 million domestically and $66.7 million overseas, for a worldwide gross of $115.1 million, against a production budget of $20 million.{{cite web | url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl4134372865/ | title=Return to Never Land (2002) | work=Box Office Mojo | publisher=Amazon.com | date=June 13, 2002 | access-date=December 6, 2016 | archive-date=September 24, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924150821/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=returntoneverland.htm | url-status=live }} It was before DVD sales, which had been the initially planned market for the film.

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 45% based on 97 reviews, and an average rating of 5.5/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "With its forgettable songs and lackluster story, this new Pan will surely entertain kids, but will feel more like a retread to adults."{{cite web | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/return_to_never_land | title=Return to Never Land (2002) | work=Rotten Tomatoes | publisher=Fandango | access-date=August 18, 2019 | archive-date=December 20, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220210357/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/return_to_never_land | url-status=live }} On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 49 out of 100, based on 26 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".{{cite web | url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/return-to-never-land | title=Return to Never Land Reviews | work=Metacritic | publisher=CBS Interactive | access-date=December 6, 2016 | archive-date=March 4, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110104/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/return-to-never-land | url-status=live }} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.{{cite web|url=https://www.cinemascore.com/|title=Find CinemaScore|format=Type "Return to Neverland" in the search box|publisher=CinemaScore|access-date=August 10, 2021|archive-date=January 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102130540/https://www.cinemascore.com/|url-status=live}}

Film critic Roger Ebert gave the film three stars out of four and praised the vocal performances of Burton and Weaver, especially Burton's, though he expressed surprise the movie's songs were not sung by the voice actors.{{cite news|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/return-to-never-land-2002|title=Roger Ebert Return to Never Land Review|work=rogerebert.com|access-date=May 22, 2021|date=February 15, 2002|archive-date=May 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210522181123/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/return-to-never-land-2002|url-status=live}} Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian published a negative review by calling the film a "completely uninspired cartoon sequel", dismissing it as a very dull retread of the original film.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/mar/22/culture.peterbradshaw5|title=Peter Bradshaw Return to Never Land Review|work=theguardian.com|access-date=May 22, 2021|date=March 22, 2002|archive-date=May 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210522182806/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/mar/22/culture.peterbradshaw5|url-status=live}} Nell Minow of Common Sense Media gave the film two stars out of five, saying remarks that it was "pleasant but forgettable sequel to Disney classic."{{cite web |last1=Minow |first1=Nell |title=Return to Never Land Movie Review |url=https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/return-to-never-land |website=Common Sense Media |access-date=4 April 2024}}

Breslin was nominated for a 2003 Young Artist Award as Best Performance in a Voice-Over Role at the 24th Young Artist Awards.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TTuyCQAAQBAJ&q=%22spencer+breslin%22&pg=PA93|title = Pirates, Buccaneers & other Scallywags & Swashbucklers a Complete Film Guide|isbn = 9781312146006|last1 = Rowan|first1 = Terry|year = 2014| publisher=Lulu.com }}{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=799&dat=20020420&id=MNIJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=o0kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4286,2442681&hl=en|title = The Bryan Times - Google News Archive Search}}{{cite web |url=http://youngartistawards.org/noms24.htm |title=Twenty-Fourth Annual Young Artist Awards (Archived copy) |access-date=January 8, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220202011/http://www.youngartistawards.org/noms24.htm |archive-date=February 20, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}

Return to Never Land was released on VHS and DVD on August 20, 2002,{{cite web|url=http://www.hive4media.com/news/html/product_article.cfm?article_id=2907|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020422230018/http://www.hive4media.com:80/news/html/product_article.cfm?article_id=2907|title=Peter Pan's Return to Never Land Flies To Video Aug. 20|website=hive4media.com|archive-date=April 22, 2002|date=April 9, 2002|access-date=September 10, 2019}} and it took in only lukewarm sales. In November 2007, the film was released in a "Pixie-Powered Edition" and was also released in a Peter Pan trilogy, along with the Peter Pan Platinum Edition and Tinker Bell in December 2008.

The film was released on Blu-ray in August 2013, after the first Blu-ray release of Peter Pan. It was reprinted on Blu-ray in June 2018 as a Disney Movie Club Exclusive.

A tie-in video game, Disney's Peter Pan: Return to Never Land was released on Game Boy Advance in 2002.

{{Reflist}}

{{notelist}}

{{Wikiquote}}

• {{Official website|https://movies.disney.com/return-to-never-land}}
• {{IMDb title|0280030|Return to Never Land}}
• {{Mojo title|returntoneverland|Return to Never Land}}
• {{Rotten Tomatoes|return_to_never_land|Return to Never Land}}
• {{Metacritic film|title=Return to Never Land}}

{{Disney's Peter Pan}}

{{Peter Pan}}

{{Disney theatrical animated features}}

{{Disneytoon Studios}}

{{Disney Television Animation}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Return to Never Land}}

Category:Peter Pan (franchise)

Category:Peter Pan films

Category:American direct-to-video films

Category:2002 American animated films

Category:2002 children's films

Category:2000s fantasy adventure films

Category:2000s English-language films

Category:American children's animated adventure films

Category:American children's animated fantasy films

Category:American fantasy adventure films

Category:American sequel films

Category:American World War II films

Category:American animated adventure films

Category:Animated films based on children's books

Category:Battle of Britain films

Category:DisneyToon Studios animated films

Category:Films about the British Army

Category:Films about fairies

Category:Films scored by Joel McNeely

Category:American films based on plays

Category:Films directed by Donovan Cook

Category:Films set in 1940

Category:Animated films about families

Category:Animated films set in London

Category:2000s children's fantasy films

Category:Disney Television Animation films

Category:2000s children's animated films

Category:2002 directorial debut films

Category:Animated films set in the 1940s

Category:Animated films based on plays

Category:Animated World War II films

Category:English-language fantasy adventure films