Who's the slimiest rat in the pack? Christopher Walken was cast as the new Captain Hook in NBC's live Peter Pan. The musical marks the network's second attempt at a live show after the smash success of 2013's The Sound of Music, starring Carrie Underwood and Stephen Moyer.
"He might really be a song and dance man at heart," NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt said of Walken in a statement. "He’s fearless as a comedic actor and always comes to play. I guarantee you he's going to bring his own spin to Captain Hook. He might be the first tap-dancing Captain Hook."
Walken starred in the film adaptations of Tony-winning musicals Hairspray and Jersey Boys.
NBC hasn't cast the main roles of Peter or Wendy. When the network announced the decision to air the musical in January, Greenblatt joked, "I want Miley Cyrus [for the role of Peter Pan]."
The live production will be void the traditional special effects, but Greenblatt said that's part of the magic.
"You see the wires, it's part of the charm of the show, we'll do what we can to disguise them," he said.
