With Joe Wright’s Pan flying into theaters this October, Hollywood may be about to embark on a new romance with the Boy Who Never Grew Up, and Disney is already getting ahead of the crowd with a live-action Tinker Bell spinoff, currently titled Tink. Today brings news that, to help them bring Peter Pan’s pint-sized sidekick to the big screen, the studio is calling on none other than Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon to spread some fairy dust.
Witherspoon is attached to both star in and produce the pic, which is being developed as a new take on a beloved character in the same vein as Disney’s mega-grossing Maleficent (though with a considerably smaller budget, according to reports). It will play with the classic Peter Pan narrative to give Tink (Witherspoon) her own tale, independent from her human-sized companion.
Victoria Strouse, who penned the script for Pixar’s Finding Nemo follow-up Finding Dory, is currently scribing the project, though details on the story are being kept tightly under wraps. Chances are that this will be an origin tale for the character that will still reference more known elements of her personality, such as her temper and jealousy (seen in the original Disney flick as being displayed toward others who compete for the affections of Peter Pan).
Coming out of an Oscar season in which she was nominated for her lead turn in Wild, Witherspoon is having such a strong year that not even the awfully reviewed, low-grossing comedy Hot Pursuit has been able to slow her down. She’s set up Big Little Lies with Nicole Kidman at HBO, astronaut drama Pale Blue Dot with Fox Searchlight and Disney comedy Wish List, which is recruiting Bridesmaids director Paul Feig.
Expect Tink to move fast in order to capitalize on the Peter Pan resurgence that many are expecting Warner Bros.’ Pan to bring around this fall.