Hollywood can be a harsh place at the best of times, so at the end of the day, does anybody really care about the second best-reviewed entry in the history of an entire subgenre, even one that’s fast approaching breaking point? Maybe, maybe not, but in the case of Pete’s Dragon they definitely should. 397024

With a Rotten Tomatoes approval rating of 88 percent, David Lowery’s wholesome fantasy adventure is the second top-rated of Disney’s never-ending live-action remakes behind only Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book, but that acclaim simply didn’t translate into a box office bonanza.

In fact, with a total haul of only $143 million from theaters, it would rank as the lowest-grossing blockbuster do-over since Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland first kicked the craze into high gear over a decade ago if it wasn’t for Mulan being awarded a very limited theatrical release that yielded a massive amount of money from Disney Plus Premier Access, but very little in ticket sales.

It released just four months after The Jungle Book and two months after Alice Through the Looking Glass, too, and with no less than 12 of the Mouse House’s big budget reimaginations having released in the seven years since, it’s easy to see why Pete’s Dragon – despite its status as one of the very best – ended up being largely forgotten.

That’s precisely what streaming is for, though, even if it’s ironic that it isn’t Disney Plus that’s given the movie a new lease of life. Per FlixPatrol, it’s back on a big way on iTunes, painting it as a runner-up yet again.

“It ruined my childhood!” That’s the hyperbolic phrase often employed by incensed fans after a remake, reboot, legacy sequel, or spinoff connecting to something from their youths comes out and it falls short of measuring up to the rose-tinted memory of the original they hold in their heads and hearts. Sure, it’s a ridiculous thing to say — the thing you love still exists; in fact, it’s probably on streaming — but, honestly, Disney‘s live-action remakes of its animated classics often make us feel that way.

I can’t be alone in that, every time I sit down to watch one of the Mouse House’s latest reimaginings — which we didn’t ask for but nonetheless line up to see — I’m silently praying for it not to trample all over what’s so beloved about the animation too much. The risk in making the leap and deciding to watch these reboots is high and the rewards are unfortunately often low, and yet we keep on coming back — as evidenced by their box office success.

So, casting aside whether they are actually good movies or not in their own stead, it’s time for an unabashedly subjective ranking of all 16 Disney live-action remakes (including The Little Mermaid), from those that “ruined my childhood” the least to those that stampeded all over it like a herd of wildebeest over Mufasa’s corpse (too soon? Just kidding, it’s always too soon).

Note: this list doesn’t cover those remakes produced before the modern era (i.e. post-2010), such as 1994’s The Jungle Book, and does not include any sequels of these remakes. e.g. Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.

16. Cruella (2021) 355o28

Congrats, Cruella, you officially ruined my childhood the least. The reason why is because rebooting 101 Dalmatians in live-action isn’t heresy for us ’90s kids, given the Glenn Close version that decade gave us. Plus, Cruella gets props for being its own thing and Emma Stone undeniably killed it in the role.

15. Cinderella (2015) 16493u

In a similar vein, a live-action Cinderella is hardly sacrilegious because it’s been filmed so many times before, some good (we like the Drew Barrymore one, right?), some bad (you know the one). Lily James’ Cindy could really use a backbone, but Cate Blanchett just eats and eats as the evil stepmother.

14. Beauty and the Beast (2017) 2f5j70

For my money, Beauty and the Beast is the best working template we have for these remakes: just try and stay as close to the classic as you can. Sure, it’s far from perfect — there’s needless filler and ample cringe, as always — but everyone is wonderfully cast and there’s a genuine iration for the 1992 film on display.

13. The Little Mermaid (2023) 48224h

Yes, Flounder is faintly terrifying, but The Little Mermaid earns a lot points from me for following the aforementioned BatB template and adding some meaningful expansions to its inherited, let’s face it, fairly thin storyline. Halle Bailey might be the best lead any of these films have ever had. Could’ve done without the awful Scuttle rap, though.

12. The Jungle Book (2016) 2t5970

Hands up, I was never a huge fan of the original Jungle Book film as a kid so this one had less of a cherished memory to impinge upon but, hey, the new Jungle Book was mostly pretty solid. The only thing is: does anyone find Christopher Walken as a pre-historic orangutan slightly disconcerting?

11. Lady and the Tramp (2019) 1tua

Full disclosure: I watched the new Lady and the Tramp once when Disney Plus was still shiny and new, but four years of mostly middling streaming content (some of which we can’t even see anymore) later and I can’t really much about it. So I guess that means it didn’t ruin my childhood much? Yay?

10. Peter Pan and Wendy (2023) 14433g

It ended up getting review-bombed for all the wrong reasons, but the mere existence of Peter Pan and Wendy isn’t offensive as it feels like Hollywood adapts this one every couple of years. Sure, this particular iteration was extremely lackluster, but its childhood-ruining powers are somewhat limited.

9. Dumbo (2019) 6id6t

There’s clear affection for the original in 2017’s Dumbo, but dear golly gee, is it boring. Tim Burton has since said that he made Dumbo, about a misunderstood creature trapped in a sell-out circus, as a metaphor for his own experience working for Disney. That rather says it all, really.

8. Maleficent (2014) o4xe

Angelina Jolie as Disney’s wickedest villain? Sure, sign me up. Not just turning her into an anti-hero but a straight-up hero who saves the day at the end? Umm, OK, you’re losing me now but I’m hanging on. Making Sleeping Beauty’s three fairy moms from the animation total morons? Good day, sir!

7. Christopher Robin (2018) 72mx

Christopher Robin is extremely difficult to rank by this metric as it has charm, warmth, and an authentic Winnie the Pooh, and yet you could say it ruined my childhood more than others thanks to its central message that the wonder and imagination of our youths is fleeting. Yay for Pooh, nay for the existential crisis it gave me.

6. Aladdin (2019) 3614m

I can forgive a lot about Aladdin. Iago being a plain dumb parrot, the stilted direction for big numbers like “Prince Ali” and “A Whole New World,” but, I’m sorry, I can’t forgive what it did to Jafar. No offense, Marwan Kenzari, you’re a good actor, but how did you manage to turn this into that?

5. Pete’s Dragon (2016) 1e58w

All right, here’s the Disney remake hill I’m willing to die on: I don’t get the hype for 2016’s Pete’s Dragon. Sure, the original is all kinds of corny, but it’s vibrant and charming and the titular Elliot, with his inverted Barney the Dinosaur color scheme, is a memorable cartoon creation. The new one strips that all away and, despite the best efforts of Bryce Dallas Howard, it failed to hold my attention. There, I said it.

4. Mulan (2020) 5p194h

I don’t care what you say, relatively decent 72 percent Rotten Tomatoes score, this is not the Mulan remake we were asking for. There’s no Mushu, there’s no “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” and, excuse me, where is Li Shang? And don’t even get me started on the insertion of a witch and giving Mulan superpowers. An attempt to make the story China-friendly just made it no-one-friendly.

3. Alice in Wonderland (2010) 6a5j3z

Like Mulan, Alice in Wonderland loses points for its cliched Chosen One narrative, but it really earns its high spot here for its long-term ramifications — its success started the Disney remake renaissance that we’re still suffering from to this day. Plus, it also marked a downswing in both Tim Burton and Johnny Depp’s careers that didn’t reverse for Burton until Wednesday and not for Depp until… Um *scratches head*.

2. Pinocchio (2022) 6q6s4d

Pinocchio is almost unique for Disney’s remakes in that it loses points for being less terrifying that the nightmare-inducing original. Robert Zemeckis, the undisputed king of the uncanny valley, plays it so safe and trad that it slowly drains away every last drop of your interest until you can’t even so much as shrug at the vaguely subversive ending. It’s not even the best Pinocchio adaptation of the year it came out.

1. The Lion King (2019) 601q35

Wait, what do you mean they made a live-action Lion King? You can’t make a live-action Lion King. Well, unless they switched out the beautifully animated animals from the original for glassy-eyed photo-realistic CG puppets that reduce Disney’s most majestic, emotional masterpiece to a lifeless, soulless husk. But they’d never be stupid enough to do that. Let alone go and give it a needless prequel. Right? Right??

While several films such as Finding Dory, The Secret Lives of Pets and even Suicide Squad (despite its poor critical reception) did some very impressive business at the box office, this summer season was packed full of dud movies. Interestingly, many of them were films that were predicted to be big successes but, in the event, fell someway short of the mark. One explanation for this is that there were just too many ‘must-see’ movies around this year. Usually a big release would have a while to build up a healthy box office but, in 2016, they only had a few days before the next hotly-anticipated film was stealing their thunder. Whatever the reason may be for their failure, here are the eight biggest box office flops of the summer. Take a look at them starting on the next page and let us know if you think any of the films listed here deserved to do better.

When a studio is as old and has as big a catalog of hits as Disney, it’s inevitable to look back through past decades of success stories for a property that can be refreshed and re-appropriated for a modern audience. Lately, Walt Disney Pictures has been making headlines for its rampant revisits to some of its most beloved animated classics, with this year’s The Jungle Book serving as the most recent example of the studio taking a story from animation to live action. However, in addition to translating these iconic stories into a new visual style, Disney has also sprinkled in several notable remakes of its own live-action films. [zergpaid] For this list, we’re taking a look only at cases in which the studio has produced a theatrically released update of one of its own live-action hits. As such, we’re not counting films like Oz: The Great and Powerful that are reboots of an existing property or those that are connected to non-Disney properties. On that note, read on for our thoughts on the House of Mouse’s live-action remakes.

When 2016 is said and done, Pete’s Dragon will be a pleasant surprise in an otherwise bust-worthy year for blockbusters. With no affinity felt towards Don Chaffey’s 1977 live-action cartoon, Disney had a clean slate with this critic, and boy did they capitalize. Gone are the musical numbers and more unrealistic aspects, in favor of a touching familial dramedy about a boy, his dragon and their tremendous bond. This has been a year where critics and viewers seem to really be lapping up Disney’s Kool-Aid, but when it tastes this good (think Strawberry Kiwi laced with kid-friendly cocaine), there’s a damn fine reason why. Quiet your conspiracy talk – Disney is riding one of the craziest studio hot-streaks in cinema history (Shhh, Tomorrowland never happened), and that’s not because of bribery or bias. Director David Lowery and co-writer Toby Halbrooks stay true to Disney’s original dragon tale, about a boy named Pete (Oakes Fegley) and his fire-breathing protector. After an automobile accident claims the lives of Pete’s parents, he ends up living treehouse-style in a forest for six years with Elliot (his very real, very lovable dragon best friend). Together, the two abide by the rules of nature, until a Ranger named Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard) stumbles upon the feral child. She takes Pete in and tries to civilize his wild soul, but while Elliot is alone, Grace’s future husband’s brother – Gavin (Karl Urban) – sedates the dragon and brings his trophy to town. Thus begins a breakout mission for Pete and Elliot, who get a little help from their new family. You might be wondering how an animated mythical creature and a young, howling boy necessitate soulful, loving reactions, yet the chemistry between Pete and Elliot flows without a lick of conversation. Elliot is essentially a towering, green puppy-dog who bounds around excitedly and loves to goof off. Pete challenges his furry friend (yes, this dragon dons a lush fur coat), but in moments of peace, we can feel how these two kindred spirits adore one another beyond Earthly comprehension. Family is family no matter what shape and size they come in, and Pete’s Dragon never eases off the thematic importance of the only “F” word that truly matters. More importantly, Elliot looks the part and maneuvers fluidly as a large, sweet behemoth who can’t yet comprehend its own strength. Fuzzy clumps of hair dance in the tiniest gusts of wind, calling back to Disney’s visual triumphs in Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book. Oakes Fegley finds no challenge when acting against a 100% green-screen character, interacting seamlessly with Elliot’s pouty eyes, signifying grunts and sky-spanning flights. In no way am I a dragon enthusiast, but their sincere on-screen warmth had me tearing up without warning at the most unexpected moments. Pete runs into Elliot’s arms, Elliot catches him and falls clumsily, I cry – no explanation needed beyond a touching relationship between a boy and his fluffy green dragon. Feelings of acceptance and mysticism done right, played through a dynamic that breaks the bonds of wonder. That said, Pete’s Dragon doesn’t exactly reach for anything super-ambitious when it comes to children’s fables. Musical accompaniment builds a more backwoods-country lore – furthered by the vast nothingness of wooded landscapes – but Pete’s adventure plays out like so many before. After the quick (and jarring) death of Pete’s parents, we’re treated to an unsupervised romp around the forest with Elliot, followed by the interference of man, and our inevitable desire to destroy anything too pure or unknown. Pete fights for his dragon, there’s a brief, predictable altercation, and families get to hug each other a little harder. Positive, share-worth storytelling from Lowery and his team that’s comfortable while not revolutionary. This same feeling of comfort coincides with most performances, but it becomes hard to root for any “civil” character from the bunch. Karl Urban’s Gavin isn’t necessarily a bad guy, but his need to claim Elliot as a trophy makes us hate his guts. His brother (and Grace’s future wife), played by Wes Bentley, runs the logging company Gavin operates under, so some of the blame shifts his way just by proxy. At least Bryce Dallas Howard and Robert Redford play a sympathetic father/daughter tandem that smartly utilizes Redford to a lesser degree than Dallas Howard, as the lead actress connects with Pete on a maternal, more homely level. Although, the young Oona Laurence steals the show as Pete’s child counterpart, and forms a friendship ten times more worthwhile than any of the adult characters in the film (a film built for children, subsequently carried by children).  Pete’s Dragon is more than just an accessible reboot; it’s a whimsical love-note to childhood and never letting “the magic” die. Folksy artfulness, dynamite visuals and a larger-than-life beating heart propels David Lowery’s soothing bedtime story through sun-shine-y skies, while he whittles something that’s far more than “just another remake.” As Redford says, after gazing upon Elliot for the first time, all he could feel was a magic that changed his outlook on life. In that same mentality, Lowery’s romanticized adoration of youth aims to deliver the same kind of invigorated feeling. We know dragons aren’t real, but for an hour-and-a-half, Elliot feels like a part of our lives – a part we don’t want to let go of, and thanks to David Lowery, a part we might rediscover for the first time in far too long.

Elliot and Pete may be the beating heart of David Lowery’s magical reboot, but in today’s first clip for Pete’s Dragon, the House of Mouse shifts gears to shine the spotlight on Mr. Meacham and Grace’s relationship. Played by Robert Redford and Jurassic World star Bryce Dallas Howard, respectively, the father-daughter dynamic underpinning Disney’s live-action reimagining appears to harbor some old wounds, with Howard’s character subtly referring to her own childhood spent under the monstrous shadow of a mystical dragon — and her father’s obsession with said reptile. How much screentime Pete’s Dragon will devote to Redford and Howard is up for question, but at least based on this clip, we’re intrigued to see how their relationship pans out throughout the course of Disney’s adventure. Taking point as the wide-eyed Pete is newcomer Oakes Fegley, flanked by a cast that includes Howard, Redford, Oona Laurence, Wes Bently, and Karl Urban as a ruthless lawman hellbent on taming the title dragon. Pete’s Dragon soars into theaters on August 12.

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 Elliott. And from Pete’s descriptions, Elliott 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.

Meet Elliot. He’s not your traditional friend. Rather than dreaming up trivial games and generally revelling in childhood innocence, Elliot spends much of his existence cowering in a lush forest far, far away from any human settlement. That’s largely because Elliot is a dragon – Pete’s Dragon, to be specific – and you can see him take flight in today’s latest TV spot for David Lowery’s feature film. Lowery, best known for his work on Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, has pitched the movie as a fully-fledged remake of the 1977 flick, this time lending a sense of realism to the titular beast by blending CGI and live-action sequences. After rendering much of Middle-earth and, crucially, Smaug, it’s understood WETA Digital is the company bringing Pete’s Dragon to life. Relative newcomer Oakes Fegley will anchor the action as Pete, a wide-eyed boy who befriends Elliot and, eventually, stands as one of the few humans leaping to the defence of the feathery monster. There’s a palpable air of E.T. infused in today’s TV spot, too, and it’ll be interesting to see how Lowery’s adventure fares in light of The Jungle Book‘s barnstorming success. Also starring Robert Redford, Oona Laurence, Wes Bently, and Karl Urban in the role of a no-nonsense lawman on the hunt for Elliot, Pete’s Dragon will soar into theaters in time for August 12.

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 Elliott. And from Pete’s descriptions, Elliott 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.

Gunning for a better critical reception than fellow live-action fairytale Alice Through the Looking Glass, David Lowery’s high-profile reimagining of Pete’s Dragon is the latest movie to tumble off Disney’s fairytale production line, and a new trailer and poster arriving today showcase the ways in which the filmmaker – best known for Ain’t Them Bodies Saints – is offering a new spin on an old classic. First released back in 1977, Pete’s Dragon is a heartfelt tale revolving a young boy (Oakes Fegley) who considers himself a forest dweller. With no family or home to call his own, Pete wards off loneliness by befriending a giant, feathery and winged reptile, much to the amazement of Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard). Also starring Robert Redford, Oona Laurence, Wes Bently, and Karl Urban, expect Pete’s Dragon to take flight in all of its feathery glory when Disney’s live-action reimagining graces theaters on August 12.

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 Elliott. And from Pete’s descriptions, Elliott 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.

Lavish live-action remakes and modern re-imaginings are currently high on the pecking order over at the House of Mouse, and one need only look at Disney’s marketing campaigns for Alice Through the Looking Glass (drawing to a close ahead of release later this week) and Bill Condon’s Beauty and the Beast (which only just kicked off following the reveal of today’s inaugural teaser) for evidence of this renewed drive. Sandwiched in between those two relative heavyweights is Pete’s Dragon, David Lowery’s (Ain’t Them Bodies Saints) rendition of a cult ’70s classic. It brings together Oakes Fegley’s pint-sized protagonist with a towering, feathery reptile, sparking an usual friendship deep within the woods.  And so, with a release pegged for mid-August in the States – Pete’s Dragon lands in the UK on May 26 – Empire Magazine has premiered a new image spotlighting the titular beast, all the while revealing the genesis behind Lowery’s furry creation, who took strides to ensure that Pete’s amicable dragon stood apart from those fire-breathing beasts spotted in Game of Thrones, Harry Potter et. al.

“When I went to pitch the movie to Disney, I said ‘I want him to be a furry dragon’. Pete is supposed to be cuddling up with the dragon, so let’s make him furry. I wanted him to feel not like a Game Of Thrones or Harry Potter dragon”, Lowery explains, hoping his “75% realistic” dragon will be one audiences want to take home. A lot of [Elliott] is a dog, because people relate to dogs, but I’m a big cat person. There’s a seagull in there, and a tiger. Ultimately, it comes down to trying to make a 20 foot tall pet.”

Pete’s Dragon will swoop into theaters on August 12 in the States. Wes Bentley, Karl Urban and Oona Laurence are among the cast.

Making it three for three with Entertainment Weekly scoops – following hot on the heels of new images for both Jason Bourne and Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters – the outlet has unveiled a new still for David Lowery’s (Ain’t Them Bodies Saints) live-action fairytale, Pete’s Dragon. Yes, Pete’s reptilian ally may have been camera shy up until now, but today’s all-new shot showcases the beast – bearing the name Elliot – in all its furry glory. Emerging from a 40-year hibernation, Pete’s Dragon is a total reimagining of the Disney classic, introducing newcomer Oakes Fegley in the role of Pete, a lonesome 10-year-old that takes solace in the company of a rather unusual friend. In breathing new life into the motion picture, the House of Mouse was conscious to retain much of the creature design glimpsed in the 1977 original. According to Lowery, there were “certain things about the original design we loved: Big jaw, big snout, and a clumsy quality that we really wanted to not completely forget about.” Clumsy is really the character trope that’ll hopefully turn Pete’s towering, furry reptile into a loveable lead. But will the story the pair’s endearing connection? We’ll find out in the summer. Also starring Wes Bentley, Karl Urban and Oona Laurence, Pete’s Dragon takes flight on August 12. Meanwhile, Lowery and Toby Halbrooks’ stint with Disney extends much further, after it was revealed earlier this week that the pair have been tapped by Disney to helm a live-action reimagining of Peter Pan.

A reimagining of Disney’s cherished family film, “Pete’s Dragon” is the adventure of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliott, 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”) 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 story by Seton I. Miller and S.S. Field and produced by Jim Whitaker, p.g.a. (“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.

It may seem strange for one studio to commit to the release of two re-imaginings of past glories about orphan boys living in wooded areas – especially in the same year – but this very particular trend looks set to pay off for Walt Disney Studios in spectacular fashion, as The Jungle Book charges into theatres in April, while Pete’s Dragon is scheduled to dominate late summer. Up until now, little has been seen of this project, but with the first trailer now available, we can see that something magical this way comes. There has always been something fascinating about the idea of dragons – these mythical creatures that have inspired so many centuries of storytelling. It seems the idea of lost children, fending for themselves and discovering spectacular secrets is also fascinating, as that plot device has given us generations of tales to on, too. Pete’s Dragon has been one of the stories occupying the intersection of those two ideas for many years now, with Disney having first committed it to celluloid in 1977, with a cast featuring Sean Marshall, Helen Reddy, Jim Dale and Mickey Rooney. Blending live-action and animation, that film adaptation of a Miller and Field short story proved to be very popular, and quickly became a family classic. But now, the story has been re-imagined, with the benefit of all the technological advancements of the intervening three decades.

“A reimagining of Disney’s cherished family film, “Pete’s Dragon” is the adventure of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliott, 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”) 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 story by Seton I. Miller and S.S. Field and produced by Jim Whitaker, p.g.a. (“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. “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 Elliott. And from Pete’s descriptions, Elliott 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.”

A film can hardly go wrong with Robert Redford playing a rumpled wood carver, and Bryce Dallas Howard once more emoting ‘awestruck’ as she pretends to look at giant lizards. While it is doubtful that Pete’s Dragon will reach the heady box office heights of her previous hit, Jurassic World, however, this first trailer suggests a sumptuous dip back into the wonder of Disney – all mist-draped forests and tenacious youngsters trying to get grown-ups to believe in something unbelievable. If the dragon is indeed revealed to be the real star of the film, then Pete’s Dragon may well become one of the more delicious treats of the summer.

Jon Favreau’s lush re-imagining of The Jungle Book isn’t the only Disney classic looming on the horizon. Soon after Neel Sethi dances along to the Bare Necessities, the House of Mouse will bring back a 70s favorite in Pete’s Dragon, and you can catch a glimpse of the remake coming to life with today’s motion poster. Written and directed by David Lowery (Ain’t Them Bodies Saints), the filmmaker is taking a leaf out of Favreau’s book by adopting a live-action approach for Pete’s Dragon. In doing so, Oakes Fegley is front and center as Pete, a lonesome 10-year-old who resides in the woods alongside his scaly pet reptile, Elliot. As the forest ranger, Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard) initially rubbishes stories of Pete and his winged companion as little more than tall tales, until the pair cross paths. Marking another installment in Disney’s series of live-action fairytales – kicked off in large part by Kenneth Branagh’s Cinderella – fans of the studio can also look forward to Bill Condon’s Beauty and the Beast and a potential Dumbo movie in the not-so-distant future. Also starring Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, and Oona Laurence, Pete’s Dragon will take flight on August 12. Keep your peepers peeled during ABC’s Wonderful World of Disney: Disneyland 60 at 8pm ET on Sunday, February 21 for the first trailer.

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 Elliott. And from Pete’s descriptions, Elliott 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.