Thanks to the likes of Smaug and Toothless, dragons are still – pun entirely intended and unapologetically delivered – hot. So Disney’s decision to throw Pete’s Dragon into the maw of the remake beast is perhaps not as surprising as it might be. [Director David Lowery has been busy gathering a cast and has Bryce Dallas Howard in early talks for the female lead](http://Thanks to the likes of Smaug and Toothless, dragons are still – pun entirely intended and unapologetically delivered – hot. So Disney’s decision to throw Pete’s Dragon into the maw of the remake beast is perhaps not as surprising as it might be. Director David Lowery has been busy gathering a cast and has Bryce Dallas Howard in early talks for the female lead. So far, Lowery has landed Oakes Fegley as the titular Pete, an orphan who arrives in a small town with his magic dragon, attempting to escape his abusive adoptive parents. Oona Laurence, meanwhile, is a newly created character, Natalie, who also befriends our hero. Robert Redford is in talks to co-star and Howard may end up joining him. While the original film was a musical, the new one will be a more straightforward film, with the dragon conjured by CG alongside a live-action cast. It’s just the latest attempt by Disney to raid its back catalogue to fuel new movies. Howard will next be on our screens in Jurassic World, which roars in on June 12. She’s also attached to write and direct a drama called The Originals about a group who reunite in New York when they learn the teacher who shaped their childhoods is in a mysterious coma.).
So far, Lowery has landed Oakes Fegley as the titular Pete, an orphan who arrives in a small town with his magic dragon, attempting to escape his abusive adoptive parents. Oona Laurence, meanwhile, plays a newly created character, Natalie, who also befriends our hero. The film - which will shoot in New Zealand - is set against the backdrop of illegal logging. Elliott the dragon, who raises Pete after he's orphaned by a car crash, lives in a threatened forest.
Robert Redford is in talks to co-star and Howard may end up joining him. While the original was a musical, the new one will be a more straightforward film, with the dragon conjured via CGI alongside a live-action cast. It’s just the latest attempt by Disney to raid its back catalogue to fuel new movies.
Howard will next be on our screens in Jurassic World, which roars in on June 12. She’s also attached to write and direct a drama called **The Originals **about a group who reunite in New York when they learn the teacher who shaped their childhoods is in a mysterious coma.