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A London hospital for seriously sick children will receive at least $1 million from the Christmas release of Steven Spielberg’s epic fantasy “Hook.”

The film, which stars Dustin Hoffman, Robin Williams, Julia Roberts and Maggie Smith, is based on the 1904 children’s play “Peter Pan.” Author J.M. Barrie made a gift of the play’s perpetual rights in 1929 to Great Ormond Street Hospital, which ever since has benefited from its royalties.

Spielberg paid a reported $500,000 for an option to make “Hook.” In addition, Great Ormond Street signed deals with Columbia Tri-Star under which a further $500,000 will be raised from “Hook” premieres around the world. And if the movie manages to clean up at the box office, the hospital will also receive 3.75% of its net income.

Yet as Great Ormond Street spokesman Alicja Kujawa explained, only a hastily amended Act of Parliament prevented the hospital from losing out on the lucrative “Hook” deal.

“Barrie, who loved children, confirmed in his will that we would retain the copyright to ‘Peter Pan,’ ” she said. “But 50 years after his death in 1937, the original British copyright expired.”

Enter Lady Callaghan, who was chairman of special trustees for the hospital. She was instrumental in reminding lawmakers of Barrie’s wishes for the copyright of “Peter Pan.” Her husband Lord Callaghan, the former British prime minister, succeeded in securing a unique amendment to the Copyright, Patent and Designs Act of 1988; Parliament voted to give Great Ormond Street continuing rights to royalties from “Peter Pan” as long as it exists.

At the 348-bed hospital, founded in 1852, the staff is fervently hoping “Hook” will be a success. “We offer care for very difficult and complicated cases, requiring specialized techniques,” said Kujawa. “And we need 10 million ($17 million) a year over and above government funding to maintain our standard of care.”