Warner Bros. Home Entertainment's Pan Gets A Quick Flip From Theatrical To Home Entertainment On Dec. 22

It is hard to fathom what screenwriter Jason Fuchs had in mind when he crafted Pan.  Perhaps it was his stage acting background that influenced his thinking in constructing a “prequel” to J. M. Barrie’s turn-of-the-century (20^th Century, that is) stage play, Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up (which was subsequently novelized).

Audiences over the past several generations have long forgotten Peter Pan’s “adult” origins — not a children’s tale to begin with.   That came later with the 1953 Walt Disney animated masterpiece, Peter Pan, which lightened up the tale to kid-friendly status.

We only point this out in that because director Joe Wright’s Pan, which is being moved very quickly to the home entertainment market place by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Dec. 22 — as both DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack product offerings — failed to find an audience precisely because Fuchs returned (faithfully) to Barrie’s stage play origins.  

Parents thought the trailers (and word-of-mouth) for Pan were too frightening for the little ones and so there went the kid audience and any thought of a box office bonanza.   Since it is well established that Peter Pan is Disney turf, so too the adult audience.  

Despite being a wonderful film production at all levels (acting, technical aspects, etc.), ticket sales for Pan were a lackluster $32.9 million (the IMDB is reporting a production budget of $150 million, so this is pretty much a box office disaster for Warner Bros.).   

As to the speed part, the ARR is just 74 days, which ties the record for the fastest transition from theatrical venues to home entertainment for any film grossing in excess of $25 million.   Paramount’s Katy Perry: Part of Me also made the move from the local multiplex to the nearest retail outlet in 74 days back in 2012.

Clearly, Warner Bros. thought that the Christmas holiday season was its best chance to salvage what they could — those who missed the film theatrically will not be disappointed if they pick up either DVD or Blu-ray editions for their viewing enjoyment during the holidays.

As to bonus features, common to both SKUs is the featurette titled “The Boy Who Would Be Pan.”   Exclusive to the Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack edition is commentary from director Joe Wright (Atonement, Pride & Prejudice, The Soloist) and three addition featurettes — “Never Grow Up: The Legend of Pan,” “The Scoundrels of Neverland” and “Wondrous Realms.”