About Pete's Dragon

Pete's Dragon is a 2016 American fantasy adventure film directed by David Lowery, written by Lowery and Toby Halbrooks, and produced by James Whitaker. The film is a remake of Disney's 1977 live-action/animated musical film of the same name which was based on the unpublished short story by S.S. Field and Seton I. Miller. The film focuses on an orphaned boy named Pete who meets a magical dragon in the Pacific Northwest and must convince his new foster family that the creature is real.

Making / Production

The film is a joint venture between Walt Disney Pictures and Whitaker Entertainment. Filming took place in New Zealand and production began in January 2016. The dragon, Elliot, was animated by Weta Digital and was designed to be furry instead of scaly to make him more endearing.

Actors

• Oakes Fegley as Pete - The young protagonist, who gives a moving performance as an orphaned boy found living in the forest.
• Bryce Dallas Howard as Grace Meacham - A forest ranger and Pete's eventual foster mother, who brings warmth and determination to her role.
• Robert Redford as Mr. Meacham - Grace's father who fully embodies the role of the wise and gentle storyteller.
• Wes Bentley as Jack - Grace's boyfriend and the town's lumber mill owner, who is ultimately won over by Pete's story.
• Karl Urban as Gavin - Jack's brother and the film's antagonist, who seeks to capture Elliot for his own gain.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• This is Disney's second live-action adaptation of Pete's Dragon, the first being the 1977 film.
• Elliott the dragon was redesigned as a furry creature to make him more endearing and huggable.
• Robert Redford has described this film as "a story about the possible" and shared how much he loved working on it.
• The movie was filmed in New Zealand, which is also where Weta Digital, the VFX company that handled the dragon animation, is based.

Awards

Despite its critical success, Pete's Dragon did not win any major awards. However, it was nominated for Best Visual Effects at the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards, and Best Special Visual Effects at the British Academy Children's Awards.

Quotes

• Mr. Meacham: "Magic is all about what you believe. What you choose to believe."
• Pete: "You don't have to run anymore, Elliot. You can stay."
• Grace: "Just because we don't see something doesn't mean it isn't there."

Music, Soundtrack

• The music in Pete's Dragon was composed by Daniel Hart, adding an ethereal, heartfelt touch to the movie.
• The final soundtrack includes a song called "Something Wild" by Lindsey Stirling and Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, which was nominated for a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Song.
• Leonard Cohen's poignant "So Long, Marianne" is also featured in the film.