For decades, it has been generally agreed upon that while it may be a truly magical animated film, the racial politics of Disney’s 1953 classic Peter Pan are, uh, not great. If you haven’t seen it in a while, may I refresh your memory with a link to the song in which Native American-inspired characters with feathers in their hair and skin the color of a boiled hot dog sing, “What Makes the Red Man Red”? Actually, you know what, you probably don’t need to see it.
It only follows that Disney’s contemporary live-action remake—the next in line after Beauty & the Beast, The Lion King, et al—would, among other changes to make a 77-minute movie into a proper full-length blockbuster, try to be a bit less racist and a bit more inclusive. Naturally, when the trailer for the Disney+ original film, now retitled Peter Pan & Wendy, dropped a few weeks back, everyone responded to these revisions with understanding and enthusiasm.
No, actually, conservative media jumped on the film as the latest inconsequential front in an endless culture war, in which anything that doesn’t forward 1950s-era “values” gets labeled “woke” and inspires a Tucker Carlson rant. Never mind that the film—from David Lowry, who made the gorgeous fantasy The Green Knight a few years back—looks very pretty, and seems poised to introduce enough changes that it might actually have a reason to exist (which is more than I can say for…other Disney remakes of late). Some of the Lost Boys are now girls, something something insidious anti-family values agenda.
If you’ve yet to cancel your subscription in a fit of self-righteousness, this month’s streaming offerings also include The Crossover, a series adaptation of the much-lauded YA book by Kwame Alexander; and a new Spanish-language series based on Journey to the Center of the Earth (both drop April 5). Here’s everything else you’ll find on Disney+ this month.
Disney Plus series with new episodes premiering weekly in April 2023
- Star Wars: The Mandalorian (season finale April 19)
- The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, S2 (season premiere Feb. 1)
- Star Wars: The Bad Batch
Movies and complete series/seasons coming to Disney Plus in April 2023
Arriving April 2
- The Ghost and Molly McGee (S2, 5 episodes)
- Spring Shorts-Tacular with the Ghost and Molly McGee
Arriving April 5
- The Crossover — Disney+ Originals series premiere (all episodes streaming)
- Journey to the Center of the Earth — Disney+ Originals series premiere (all episodes streaming)
- Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks Showdown (S1)
Arriving April 9
- The Owl House (S3, 1 episode)
Arriving April 12
- Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet (S11)
- It’s All Right! — Disney+ Originals series premiere (all episodes streaming)
- Kiff (S1, 5 episodes)
- Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (S1, 5 episodes)
- Rennervations — Disney+ Originals series premiere (all episodes streaming)
Arriving April 14
- Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
Arriving April 19
- Big City Greens (S3, 4 episodes)
- Hamster & Gretel (S1, 4 episodes)
- PJ Masks: Power Heroes (S1, 7 episodes)
Arriving April 22
- Secrets of the Elephants
Arriving April 26
- Dino Ranch (S2, 5 episodes)
- Going Fur Gold (S1)
- Matildas: The World at Our Feet — Disney+ Originals series premiere (all episodes streaming)
- Saturdays (S1, 5 episodes)
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures (shorts) — Disney+ Originals series premiere (all episodes streaming)
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Arriving April 28
- Peter Pan & Wendy
