The Remake of Disney’s Pete’s Dragon Gets Its First Teaser Trailer, Karl Urban

Jill Pantozzi | February 22nd, 2016

It was almost three years ago I learned Disney was going to remake their 1977 film Pete’s Dragon and now we’ve finally got our first look with a teaser trailer.

Much like Disney’s 1964 film Mary Poppins (which is getting a sequel soon!) and 1971’s Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Pete’s Dragon mixed live action acting with animation. The film took place in a small fishing town in Maine called Passamaquoddy in the early 20th century and starred Helen Reddy, Mickey Rooney, Jim Dale, and Shelley Winters with child actor Sean Marshall as an orphan named Pete. The animated dragon was named Elliot and yes, like many Disney classics there was singing and dancing.

It was a staple in my childhood home and was probably one of the first movies we had on “home video” which at the time meant Betamax. As you can imagine, I have a lot of apprehension about a remake.

But here’s the first teaser for the film which previous reports said would take place in a logging town and not feature any singing or dancing. Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Karl Urban, Wes Bentley, and Isiah Whitlock Jr. star along with Oakes Fegley as young Pete.

Not much to see here of course but lots of promise. I like that they didn’t try to make Elliot look like a scary dragon but seemingly kept his more adorable look intact.

I’ll wait to see more on this one but I definitely got some warm and fuzzies here, especially seeing Fegley’s expressions. Here’s Marshall and Fegley side by side.

Pete’s Dragon will be in theaters in 3D on August 12.

(via @DisneyPetes)