Zadan and Meron Peter Pan Resolve Rights; On Track for ABC

Variety reports that Craig Zadan and Neil Meron--the award winning producers, who most recently brought A Raisin in the Sun to ABC have now resolved all lingering rights issues with Peter Pan, which they're developing for ABC. They're hoping to beginning filming before year's end, after recruiting a "top director and high-wattage stars." 

Although Peter Pan has been seen by millions due to the televised stage show starring original Pan Mary Martin, the musical--which features a score by Moose Charlap, Carolyn Leigh, Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Jule Styne built around the original play by J.M. Barrie--has never been made into a movie or TV musical.

Meron and Zadan have been contemplating a TV musical of Peter Pan since 1993, when they worked with Jule Styne on the television musical version of Gypsy that starred Bette Midler.  Other musicals that they have brought to TV audiences include "Cinderella," "Annie," and "The Music Man," as well as the award-winning "Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows." Film work has included Chicago, Hairspray, The Bucket List and more...

In an earlier interview, Zadan said that the new Peter Pan will feature some contemporary elements, but will also honor the intentions of the creators.   "It's not unlike what we've done with Hairspray...We're not taking the shows verbatim and putting them on film. We're reinventing them while honoring the basic material."

The original 1954 production of Peter Pan starred Mary Martin as the boisterous title character. Martin's performance was preserved on the 1960 televised version that is beloved by parents and children even today.  Martin, who originally starred in a 1955 live TV version, played Peter to Cyril Ritchard's Captain Hook. A hit 1979 revival starred Tony Award-nominee Sandy Duncan as well as George Rose.  Ex-Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby headlined a 1990 revival, and has played Peter Pan in several stints since then (she played the perennial lost boy for the last time in 2005).