Sony’s upcoming Peter Rabbit is an adaptation of Beatrix Potter’s children’s book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, which has been around for a century and still wins new fans with its adventures of the rebellious rabbit named Peter who runs across the vegetable gardener Mr. McGregor. The Tale of Peter Rabbit has been adapted to other media several times, but Sony’s Peter Rabbit will be the character’s feature film debut.

Set to hit theaters on February 9, the film features the voice talents of James Corden, Daisy Ridely and Margot Robbie. In addition to the CGI characters, Domhnall Gleeson, Rose Byrne and Sam Neil also star as live-action characters. When the project was first announced,fans of the book series were excited that the Potter’s work was being adapted for a new generation. The first trailer, however, was met with contention.

Many fans believed Sony’s Peter Rabbit was a bit too modern, with some even saying that it was an insult to Beatrix Potter’s work. While it’s true that the film has put a modern twist on the classic tale, based on the trailer, Peter Rabbit carries the same message as its source material. This message is the core of Potter’s story, and even after 100 years, it’s something that will land with modern audiences.

Although the world has changed a lot over the past 100 years, The Tale of Peter Rabbit has remained a constant. Generations of parents have passed down the story to their children, who grew up and continued the tradition with their own kids. The story, which emphasizes the importance of listening to your parents and facing the consequences of disobedience, has an appeal beyond its message.

Peter is an impulsive, selfish and impetuous young rabbit. He dashes through gardens with an air of confidence, embodying the adolescent perception of invincibility. Time and again, his mother tells him not to enter Mr. McGregor’s garden (even explaining that his father died because he crossed paths with the man), but he does not heed her warnings. For a while, Peter is not held accountable for his actions and does as he pleases.

Peter’s actions speak to his immaturity, but his youthful arrogance eventually catches up with him. One day, Peter sneaks into Mr. McGregor’s garden and eats too much food. He begins to feel sick and starts looking for something to cure his aching stomach. During his search, Peter is spotted by the farmer and is chased throughout the garden. Fearing for his life, Peter runs away from the farmer, but he loses track of where he is.

Peter eventually finds a gate to escape through, but in the process, he loses his jacket and shoes. After returning home, the shoeless and dejected young rabbit is sent to bed by his mother, while his sisters enjoy a delicious dinner. This moment is extremely important, because Peter finally understands the consequences of his actions. Instead of following the rules, he gets involved in a dangerous situation that could have cost him his life.

The story is an abject lesson about listening to your parents, and really, Peter is the one at fault. Sure, bad things happen to him, but he’s solely responsible for his situation. As the reader, its easy to see that Peter should have listened to his mother. This moral lesson is something that almost everyone can relate to, but it’s also timeless. At its core, The Tale of Peter Rabbit is about a facet of human behavior that has been around forever.

Children have always disobeyed their parents, and parents will always try to keep their kids safe. If Sony’s Peter Rabbit carries the same message as the book, it will definitely click with modern audiences. Based on the trailer, Peter does a lot more than just eat vegetables out of a garden; however, he still looks to have the same laissez-faire attitude that Potter intended. Hopefully, Peter Rabbit strikes a chord with audiences and bring Potter’s timeless story to a new generation of fans.

Make sure you catch Peter Rabbit when it hits theaters on February 9, 2018.

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