Pete's Dragon (2016 film)

Pete's Dragon is an American live-action fantasy drama film distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, directed by David Lowery, and produced by Jim Whitaker, based on the 1977 film and on the short story by S.S. Field and Seton Miller. Disney first announced a remake of the 1977 film of the same name in March 2013, to be written by David Lowery and Toby Halbrooks,http://insidemovies.ew.com/2014/10/17/robert-redford-petes-dragon/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/robert-redford-talks-disneys-petes-737672 reinventing the core story without musical songs."After Gritty Sundance Debut On ‘Ain't Them Bodies Saints’, David Lowery To Reinvent ‘Pete's Dragon’ For Disney." Deadline.com (March 19, 2013). Principal photography began in January 2015 in New Zealand, with Lowery slated to direct for an August 12, 2016 released date."Casting call for Disney feature film Pete's Dragon lead role."
==Plot==
The movie begins with Pete, at five years old, on a road trip with his mom and dad until they end up in a car crash trying to dodge a deer. Pete's parents are killed instantly but Pete survives. He ends up being chased into the forest by a pack of wolves and becomes surrounded. But then the wolves are scared off by the presence of a huge dragon with green fur and yellow eyes. Pete is at first a little scared, but comes to see that the dragon is very friendly. Pete names him "Elliott", after the character in his favorite book, and the two of them become the best of friends spending the next six years living together in the forest.
One day Pete, now ten years old, spots a group lumberjacks and forest rangers roaming close to where he lives. He stays out of site, but gets spotted and followed by a girl named Natalie Magary, the daughter of site foreman Jack Magary. When Natalie tries to follow him up a tree and hurts herself, her father, Jack, and his fiancee, forest ranger Grace Meacham, come looking for her. When they notice Pete, he runs off only to be caught by Jack's brother, Gavin, and they take him back to town. When Elliott realizes that Pete is missing, he gets worried and starts looking for him, but at the same time catches Gavin's attention. He and his fellow lumberjacks arm themselves with rifles and venture deep into the forest. Meanwhile Pete is taken to hospital after bumping his head while trying to escape. He escapes from the hospital and tries to get back to the forest, but is unfamiliar with his new surroundings. Grace and the police give chase and soon recapture him after he is cornered in an alleyway. Grace, Natalie, and Jack invite Pete to stay with them, promising to take him back to the woods the next day and have Pete show where he had been living for six years. When Pete begins talking about his friend, Elliott, Grace begins to wonder. When she was a little girl her father used to tell her stories about a dragon in the forest. While he said they were true, Grace never really believed them as she got older. But everything that Pete has said and shown about Elliott is exactly what was described in her father's stories.
Back in the woods, Gavin and his followers are still roaming the woods and by now it has gotten dark. When they discover Pete and Elliott's tree house, Elliott comes out of hiding and chases them away. Then he takes to the skies and follows them back to town, in hopes of finding Pete. Elliott follows Gavin and his colleagues to Jack's house, who tells him what he saw but does not believe him. When Elliott finds Pete and sees how happy and well treated he is, he sadly decides to leave him and returns to his cave.
The next day, Pete, Grace, and Natalie, along with Grace's father, Mr. Meacham, journey to the forest. Upon arrival, they follow Pete to his tree house where he introduces them to Elliott. They are both startled but amazed by what they are seeing. Natalie even gets close to petting him on the nose. Suddenly, Elliott is tranquilized multiple times by Gavin and his fellow lumberjacks. Elliott tries to escape but the tranquilizers take their effect on him, and instantly falls unconscious. They load Elliott onto a truck and bring him back to the mill where they lock him in a warehouse. Pete is worried about what might happen to Elliott, and needs to save him. With Natalie's assistance, the kids get inside the warehouse unnoticed, and remove the chains that are holding Elliott. Although free from his restrains, Elliott still feels a little weak and unable to fly out. With Mr. Meacham's help, they drive Elliott out of the mill and back to the forest, pursued by the police. Gavin gets ahead of them and tries to make them stop at the bridge. But they are unable to and ram right into Gavin's pickup and come to a stop on the other side. Elliott, with his strength regained, angrily attacks the police force by breathing fire at them. Pete tries to get him to calm but Elliott does not listen and continues breathing fire. Jack and Grace end up halfway across the bridge, and the enormous amount of fire causes damage to the bridge. The road beneath them gives way, and their pickup ends hanging dangerously over the ravine beneath the bridge. Grace and Jack are trapped and inches away from death, but when Pete finally gets through to Elliott that he needs Grace and Jack he finally calms down and moves in to save them. Gavin rushes to the back of the truck to try to save them. But suddenly the damaged bridge completely gives way causing Elliott, Grace, and Jack to fall into the misty ravine. Just when everyone expects the worst, Elliott emerges from the mist with Grace and Jack riding on his back. They are all happily reunited, but as helicopters approach, Pete and Elliott fly away despite Grace's plea.
Pete and Elliott return to their now-demolished tree house. Now that everyone knows of Elliott's existence he will have to go far away. This also means that Pete will have to leave his friend for good, even though he does not want to. Elliott, knowing that Grace, Jack, and Natalie can love and care for Pete as much as he has, encourages him to go back to them. The two friends give each other one last tearful hug before going their separate ways. Pete returns to live with Grace, Jack, and Natalie, and Elliott flies away to find a new home. Afterwards, Elliot's existence slowly fades from the town's memory. Gavin has learned to be more scrupulous and has moved on from the experience. Grace and Jack get married and adopt Pete, and as for Elliott, he is not seen or heard from again. But if one knows where to look, like Pete, Elliott can be found living among many other dragons.
==Cast==
*Oakes Fegley as Pete Healy-Magary, a young orphan who lives in the forest and whose only friend and protector is Elliott the Dragon
**Levi Alexander as 5-year old Pete
*Bryce Dallas Howard as Grace Meacham, a forest ranger and also Jack's wifehttps://twitter.com/LauInLA/status/632624909739384833
*Wes Bentley as Jack Magary, a lumber mill owner, Natalie's father, Gavin's brother and Grace's husband
*Karl Urban as Gavin Magary, a hunter and lumberjack who is Jack's brother and Natalie's uncle
*Oona Laurence as Natalie Magary, Jack's daughter and Gavin's niece
*Robert Redford as Conrad Meacham, Grace's father, and also Natalie's adopted grandfather
*Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Sheriff Gene Dentler
*Marcus Henderson as Woodrow, one of the lumberjacks
*Aaron Jackson as Abner, one of the lumberjacks
*Phil Grieve as Bobby, one of the lumberjacks
*Jim McLarty as Ranger Wentworth
*Ian Harcourt as Deputy West
*Steve Barr as Deputy Smalls
*John Kassir as Elliott
==Production==
In March 2013, Disney announced a remake of the film to be written by David Lowery and Toby Halbrooks from the Sundance hit Ain't Them Bodies Saints. It will reinvent the core story of a venerable Disney family film and will not be a musical."After Gritty Sundance Debut On ‘Ain't Them Bodies Saints’, David Lowery To Reinvent ‘Pete's Dragon’ For Disney." Deadline.com (March 19, 2013). Principal photography will commence in January 2015 in New Zealand, with Lowery slated to direct."Casting call for Disney feature film Pete's Dragon lead role." On October 2, Barrie M. Osborne was set to produce it. It would be live-action with CGI used for the dragon.
===Casting===
On September 19, 2014, Disney set Oakes Fegley and Oona Laurence to star as Pete and Natalie. On October 16, Robert Redford was in early talks to play a local storyteller, involving dragons that no one believes. On November 20, Bryce Dallas Howard was in talks for the female lead role to play a forest ranger who finds the boy and doesn't believe his stories about a dragon. On January 7, 2015, Wes Bentley joined the cast of the film. On January 9, Michael C. Hall was also added to the cast. On January 29, Karl Urban replaced C. Hall to join the cast for his role.
===Filming===
Rehearsals began early January 2015 and the filming is also scheduled to begin in January in New Zealand.
==Gallery==
==Videos==
===Trailers and Clips===
Pete's Dragon Official US Teaser Trailer
Pete's Dragon - Official US Trailer
"Is Elliot Your Imaginary Friend?" Clip - Disney's Pete's Dragon
Petes Dragon clip "Elliot Takes Pete for a Ride"
"He Says He Wasn't Alone" Clip - Disney's Pete's Dragon
Pete's Dragon Clip "Pete Introduces Elliot"
Disney's Pete's Dragon - Lindsey Stirling and Daniel Hart Music Featurette
"I Thought I Had It In Reverse" Clip - Disney's Pete's Dragon
Pete's Dragon - UK Trailer 2 - Official Disney HD
"Behind the Wings" - On Set with Elliot - Pete's Dragon
Pete's Dragon Featurette "Legends Of Dragons"
Petes Dragon Creating Elliot
===Interviews===
Pete’s Dragon - David Lowery Interview
Pete’s Dragon - Oaks Fegley Interview
Pete’s Dragon – Jim Whitaker Interview
Pete's Dragon Interview - Robert Redford
Pete's Dragon Interview - Bryce Dallas Howard
Pete's Dragon Interview - Oakes Fegley & Oona Laurence
==References==
==External links==
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da:Peter og dragen
es:Pete's Dragon (película de 2016)
fi:Pete ja lohikäärme Elliott
nl:Peter en de Draak (2016)
pt-br:Meu Amigo, o Dragão (filme de 2016)
ru:Пит и его дракон
Category:Live-action films
Category:Disney films
Category:2016 films
Category:Pete's Dragon
Category:Remakes
Category:PG-rated films
Category:3-D films
Category:Films based on books
Category:Sunset Showcase Theater
Category:4DX films
Category:Hybrid films