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A reimagining of Disney’s cherished family film, “Pete’s Dragon” is the adventure of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliot, who just so happens to be a dragon. “Pete’s Dragon” stars Bryce Dallas Howard (“Jurassic World”), Oakes Fegley (“This is Where I Leave You”), Wes Bentley (“The Hunger Games”), Karl Urban (“Star Trek”), Oona Laurence (“Southpaw”), Isiah Whitlock, Jr. (“Cedar Rapids”) and Oscar® winner Robert Redford (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier”). The film, which is directed by David Lowery (“Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”), is written by Lowery & Toby Halbrooks based on a screenplay by Malcolm Marmorstein and produced by Jim Whitaker (“The Finest Hours,” “Friday Night Lights”), with Barrie M. Osborne (“The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” “The Great Gatsby”) serving as executive producer.
Check-out the fantastic New Trailer:
During an exclusive sneak peak and Q & A with Director David Lowery and Bryce Dallas Howard, we had the opportunity to see some amazing clips as well as learn about what it took to make this film.
Lowery presented four scenes and explained that the location is somewhere in the Pacific Northwest, late 70’s early 80’s and a small town. Howard who also saw the clips for the first time was very excited to see Elliot come alive and interact with the animated character. She also went on to say that it was different when she filmed Jurassic World and that a film like that was also special effects heavy.
“When the script arrived it was an immediate yes, explained Howard. It wasn’t a straight up re-make and thats what made my decision easier. I didn’t want it to be a copycat movie, she added. Also because I’m a parent and want beautiful films out there that have innocence and be timeless. The kids in the movie were also great to work with, very professional and they adapted to the film set very easily.”
“When a movie has a fantastic concept in it, then you can accept it more easily then if it had a veil of time over it. I like movies that are not dated or have a specific time attached to it. And I wanted this film not too feel contemporary, continued Lowery.”
“Shooting in New Zealand had plenty of magic on hand, the weather was great, we would find these locations that were beautiful which made the movie feel more grounded. We have a giant CG Dragon, let’s make everything else real. The Dragon was also based on my cats, we made him furry and wanted to make sure that it’s a character that you really wanted to give a hug to, stated Lowery.”
Lowery commented on the music that there is one song in the movie, but no music from the original, we wanted to avoid that, it’s a great new film about Pete and Elliot.
“The cast and crew was great to work with, especially Robert Redford, he was great to work with. After his first day on set, Redford stated that he’s there to work. I was nervous at first continued Lowery.”
For years, old wood carver Mr. Meacham (Robert Redford) has delighted local children with his tales of the fierce dragon that resides deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. To his daughter, Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard), who works as a forest ranger, these stories are little more than tall tales…until she meets Pete (Oakes Fegley). Pete is a mysterious 10-year-old with no family and no home who claims to live in the woods with a giant, green dragon named Elliot. And from Pete’s descriptions, Elliot seems remarkably similar to the dragon from Mr. Meacham’s stories. With the help of Natalie (Oona Laurence), an 11-year-old girl whose father Jack (Wes Bentley) owns the local lumber mill, Grace sets out to determine where Pete came from, where he belongs, and the truth about this dragon.
Disney’s “Pete’s Dragon” opens in U.S. theaters on August 12, 2016.
