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'Ain't Them Bodies Saints' Director to Script 'Pete's Dragon' Remake

by Ethan Anderton
March 20, 2013

After making a splash with the quiet, slow-burning, western drama Ain't Them Bodies Saints at Sundance earlier this year (read our review right here), director David Lowery is heading in a much different direction for his next job. As the aforementioned film waits for an August release, Deadline has word that Lowery and his writing partner Toby Halbrooks are headed to Disney to write a remake of Disney's classic animated and live-action hybrid Pete's Dragon. The 1977 film followed an orphan boy who ventures into the fishing village of Passamaquoddy with his invisible dragon Elliott and gets into some mischief. Read on!

Though several accidents end up getting blamed on Pete by those who don't believe in this dragon, when Elliott makes a daring rescue, everyone begins to believe. The darker side of this tale has Pete's abusive parents looking for him, which is on par with some of the sadder stories Disney made decades ago. Maybe it's that side of the fantasy that drew Lowery and Halbrooks to the property and they aim to make a children's fantasy akin to the tone of A Little Princess, directed by Alfonso Cuaron in 1995. The project is just now getting started, so stay tuned for more details.

Filed under Development, Movie News

From around the web:

Xerxexx

This sums it up: http://www.nooooooooooooooo.com/ Seems a bad idea.
JediBilly

Why? The original was perfect back then! If they do a remake, it better not be a musical!
ELUMIN8

Yep, we should definitely destroy another classic with a CGI crapfest
http://profiles.google.com/snears Nick Sears

Just like this movie did for its time, a 'remake' should do something different and innovating as well. This movie was my fucking jam back in the day as I'm sure it was for many.
$126191

I remember this one from my childhood. It was a fun movie. The animation match-up is pretty awful for a Disney production though. I'm not sure why a remake is necessary.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Chris-Giebler/1069138959 Chris Giebler

WHAT? hollywood is truly out of ideas. Heck, they've been outta ideas for quite a few years now. Geeesh!
DJROBL

The chairman of a global baked apple empire is assassinated. Leaving a 14 year old Pete Jr. with only his crazy 90 year old grandfather that lives in a lighthouse to take guardianship. He vows revenge to find the killer with only one clue "Terminus". Before going on this quest his grandfather tells him of a old friend who can help.... "Get Pete's Dragon!"
- PixieAngelo
  
  HA! Now THAT'S a film that Mr. Sundance McDarknGritty might actually excel with.