Disney may be the studio behind Pixar, the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the upcoming rebirth of the Star Wars saga. However, the studio also continues to deliver the same kind of entertainment as they did in the 1960s and 1970s, namely live-action comedies and light-hearted adventures for the whole family.
Films like The Apple Dumpling Gang and That Darn Cat brought audiences in for laughs, while Mary Poppins and Bedknobs and Broomsticks wowed them with the combination of animation and live-action. Now it seems that one film from that period of Disney magic is about to be revisited for the modern era.
According to Deadline, Disney is developing a remake/reboot of the 1977 film Pete’s Dragon with David Lowery and writing partner Toby Halbrooks attached to script the film. The original film was a musical about a young boy – with a magical animated dragon – who is on the run from his adoptive parents.
Lowery is best known as the writer/director of the Sundance release Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, due for release in August. The film – which stars Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck and Rami Malek – centers on an escaped outlaw who treks across Texas to reunite with his family.
Lowery’s involvement may initially seem at odds with Disney’s style of storytelling, but the filmmaker previously created the 2009 film St. Nick, which also employs a sense of magical realism to tell its tale. Presumably, Pete’s Dragon could be adapted into a story about growing up wherein the protagonist uses the dragon as a method of coping with the dark world around him. Think something tonally along the lines of the big screen version of Where the Wild Things Are and you’ll have an idea of how a darker (but still family-friendly) Pete’s Dragon could work. Of course, this is purely speculation, as nothing official about the film has been released just yet.
A Disney remake of a Disney classic is nothing new. In recent years, the Mouse House has released modern-day remakes of Freaky Friday, The Parent Trap (both starring Lindsay Lohan) and The Shaggy Dog as well as updates of the Herbie and Witch Mountain franchises. Remakes of The Rocketeer, Flight of the Navigator and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea remain in the works.
Do you think Pete’s Dragon is due for a remake, or should Disney leave this one firmly tucked away? Sound off in the comments below.
We’ll keep you updated on the Pete’s Dragon remake as more news becomes available.
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Source: Deadline
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Hey, I got an idea! Lets take a timeless movie remembered for its music and whimsy and remake it without any of the music or whimsy.
This has bad idea written all over it. Pete’s Dragon is one of my favorite Disney movies and i think one of the most under-appreciated film the studio’s ever released. If anything they should be treating this show for Broadway.
It would follow in the highly successful steps of “Lion King”, “Mary Poppins” and “Newsies”. “Pete’s Dragon” is exactly the kind of magic and technical achievement i want to see up on stage. Please don’t remake it
It doesn’t need to be a remake leave it alone
If you don’t like it, just dont watch it.
“Hey, I got an idea! Lets take a timeless movie remembered for its music and whimsy and remake it without any of the music or whimsy.”
Pete’s Dragon is neither timeless or whimsical. It’s hardly remembered. And it was easily one of the worst features Disney’s ever made, with sub-par animation and music.
Like it or not… i knew this would be coming sooner or later. I loved the original as a kid, but it isnt one of the more well-known disney oldies. I wonder how this would even do box office wise. Does the original have a big following? If this goes forward i really hope they give it the time and effort it deserves, and not just pump it out for the sake of a remake. But that’s my opinion for just about every remake… (fingers crossed)
Whats next, Mary Poppins with Channing Tatum as Bert, Megan Fox as Mary Poppins, Mark Wahlberg as Mr Banks and Shia Lebeouf as Michael Banks?? Come on Hollywood, cant you think of some original ideas instead of remaking films that should remain classics, its really pathetic that no one can come up with an idea that isn’t a reboot or remake. And these people get paid big money to do this, the World really isn’t fair.
How does remaking a film undo what was previously done? I mean is it no longer a classic because it was remade?
It is really difficult to come up with original ideas. There is not a film that has come out in the last 10 years (or more) that you can not attach somehow to another film previously made in some shape or another.
At what point do you consider something ‘original’?
I for one do not mind the remakes as the film (for example) Pete’s Dragon would not go over to well with the audience it was created for now as it did back in 1977.
While some films might age well a lot of the growing up lessons that are usually portrayed in these films do not. No I am not saying plop your child down in front of the movie and let lessons be taught but like our parents before us go to the movies with the children and help them relate with a film better suited for the times.
I’m with you on most of your points, taking ideas from other films is all part of the creative license that Hollywood has – my problem is to take a film that already exists, the script and premise and just simply re-make the whole thing – no creative license, no new ideas nothing. So if I buy these two movies on DVD I have the movie twice with different actors and more ‘up-to-date’ visual effects. Firstly, I don’t see the point other than a cash grab and secondly that is VERY lazy film making. RE-making a classic means that a whole generation will not see this original and it will be cast into the sand, I know if I saw those truly dreadful ‘Italian Job’ movies first I would not have taken the time to dig out the original (which is an absolute classic) and watch it due to the last two films. We have seen some outright heinous remakes – Total Recall, Conan etc where the original movie is soooooo much better than the remake, it just puts people off seeing the original that’s all.
Lets say I agree with you (and I do sort of) however it still does nothing to the original.
If anything it should spark interest in the original if the remake is that bad.
You first point of a cash grab is spot on, however what movie is not in it for some type of recognition be it cash, notoriety, etc. Sorry at the very core of it it is a business. The business is there to make money.
I would tend to question the lazy film making. When the remakes are done they do not make a frame for frame transition. Problems that were around with Momoas Conan are different then when Arnold was. This goes with stories, effects, locations, visions, ideas and anything else. (which on a side note I would LOVE to see a complete frame for frame word for word remake of a film. Just to see it)
I cant go out and recreate a widget that has already been created just because it is there. I have to work at it. My widget would be inferior…. or possibly even better then the original. Just because the widget is already made why cant I make mine?
In the long run it is an infusion of cash into a business that probably needs to squeak something out just to meet that money line. Instead of investing in a possible ‘flop’ it is probably better to use a proven path so there is cash to occasionally take that chance on something else.
Have you never seen the oscars? Those are all origanal movies. And guess what? NOBODY WATCHES THEM!
Look at the top box office movies of the past 10 years. They are all sequels and remakes. If you don’t like it, support small indie movies.
If social media and message boards were around in the 80s, people would have complained about making an Italian play a Cuban, and “why are we remaking a 1930′s classic”? Wah Wah, fanboys. Wah Wah. And about Pete’s Dragon of all things…. a movie a lot can’t even remember. Not to mention there are literally MILLIONS who have no idea what the hell it is. Thats who its for. Let’s not turn into the “get off my lawn” old curmudgeons before our time.
Thats not a reason to remake an older movie. Not every movie in earths history has to be remade. And that “for a new audience” crap is getting old and is just a BS reason to remake the film. And then after 10 years remake it again and get stuck with 4 or 5 versions of the same damn movie. So that some people dont want a remake has nothing to do with fanboys. There are people that have that movie in their collection for a few generations and shown it to their kids and grandkids. And if they dont have them anymore Disney would shurely put it on DVD and Blu-ray every 9 or 10 years like they ussualy do with their classic movies. So remaking a movie for those who havent seen the movie is just a comment that is lazy. Its a remake so its never gonna be the same as the original. So Disney should just re-release the original in theaters or put it on DVD or blu-ray.
Unless you own the rights to a movie, pipe down. You don’t own these movies, so you can’t tell Hollywood what to do with them. If you don’t want to see them, then don’t watch them.
And when those kids get to a certain age it does not resonant as well as it did 20 years ago. (kids/grandkids)
Some movies/stories do. Some do not. Petes Dragon is almost 30 years old. The story with a boy being sold would not go over to well in todays society. Not to mention some of the little kids that may be watching it.
I suppose you would rather be riding around on a horse instead of possibly driving a car? I mean the horse is perfectly fine for getting you from point A to point B…..
This.Is.A.Crime!
I have an idea.. LEAVE IT ALONE! There is only one Nora, Pete, and Lampie for me and they are the ones from 1977… Why ruin something that was great to begin with.. I will stick with Elliot from 1977 thank you very much…