Pete's Dragon (2016 film)

Pete's Dragon is a 2016 American fantasy adventure film directed by David Lowery and written by Lowery and Toby Halbrooks. It is a reimagining of the 1977 Disney film of the same name. The film stars Bryce Dallas Howard, Oakes Fegley, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, Oona Laurence, and Robert Redford.

The story follows Pete, a young orphaned boy who has been raised in the Pacific Northwest wilderness by a friendly dragon named Elliot. Years after Pete's parents are lost in a car accident, he's discovered by a park ranger named Grace Meacham, who begins to unravel the mystery of his existence and the truth about the dragon. Grace, along with her lumber mill owner father, old man Meacham, her fiancé Jack, and Jack’s daughter Natalie, all play a role in protecting Pete and Elliot from those who would seek to exploit Elliot's existence.

The film explores themes of family, friendship, environmentalism, and the importance of believing in the extraordinary. Unlike the animated Elliot of the original film, the 2016 Elliot is portrayed as a more realistic-looking, furry, green dragon. Pete's Dragon was praised for its visuals, emotional depth, and performances, and it received generally positive reviews from critics.