Return to Never Land (2002)

Creating a theatrical sequel to Disney's 1953 classic began with establishing the essential ingredient of the Studios' canon of films — a great story. The trick was finding a natural, logical extension of the original tale that would allow audiences to revisit the characters and locales of the original while providing an all-new experience.

"It's always about the story, and offering a story that will further these characters — to give the audience a chance to spend more time with these characters that have so enraptured generations," says Sharon Morrill, executive vice president, Walt Disney Television Animation, and executive in charge of the production. "In achieving that goal, you must ensure the film stays true to the tone and spirit of the original, while creating a fresh feeling — a feeling that audiences of today and tomorrow will appreciate."

The crew also needed to overcome the inherent "intimidation factor" of following a film that was a centerpiece of Walt's filmmaking goals, and a uniquely beautiful production from the creative talents of Disney's famed stable of animators.

"It was terrifying, because the more we analyzed the original, the more we realized how deceptively simple the art direction was, Director Robin Budd recalls. "Recreating that simplicity was much tougher to achieve than I initially realized, and it took a complete team effort."

"It's daunting to make a sequel of an animated classic," Chase admits. "We killed ourselves to make sure every single frame is delicious and wonderful, to give it that sense of a beloved classic."

The crew walked a fine line in creating a sequel to a Disney classic — making an obvious effort to pay homage to the original, yet providing the characters — and the audience — with fresh adventures and new emotional truths to rekindle the beloved sentiments of the first film. The lead character Jane, required a particular balance of old school design with modern appeal, pre-production artist Charlie Bonifacio achieved just that.

"This was truly a labor of love, because everyone associated with the film has such a fondness for the original material," says Mathews. "The trick was not treating it with such reverence that we couldn't have fun, because that's where the fun of the movie springs from."

"The set up to the sequel is very clever in its vice-versa take on the original," says Co Director Donovan Cook. "The first film is about a little girl who is afraid to grow up, but learns that you needn't give up your youth simply because you age. In our sequel, Jane learns that you don't have to turn your back on your youth in order to grow up and be responsible. It's essentially the same lesson from two different directions."

Still, the concept did not come without its challenges.

"One of our greater challenges was to explain how a girl SO immersed in strife would go to Never Land and ever want to leave," says Cook. "History provided the answer in the evacuation of the British children to the safety of the countryside, and Jane's inherent need to protect her little brother. She could change, and now believe, but still feel the responsibility to get back for Danny."

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