‘Pete’s Dragon’ has Hollywood premiere

Disney’s latest animated film had its premiere in Hollywood on Monday. ‘Pete’s Dragon’ is a remake of a 1977 film of the same name.

An orphan called Pete lives in the wild with the friendly dragon Eliot. But once Eliot’s existence is discovered it leads locals in a nearby town to either try and hunt him down or protect him. Robert Redford voices Meacham – who is the only person other then Pete to have come across the dragon.

“This was about a chance to return to my own childhood experience and remember times when I was a kid that I loved stories that were about fantasy, that I loved stories that were about adventure,” said actor Robert Redford.

“I loved stories that had magic in them and then you grow out of that when you’re older and you miss it so this was a chance to play a role in a film which allowed me to step back into that time.”

Bryce Dallas Howard voices Grace, a ranger in the forest and daughter of Redford’s character. And Howard admitted she was starstruck to work with a screen icon like Redford.

Howard said, “I know, like, me thinking about meeting him and stuff, I was like, ‘oh my gosh, it’s Robert Redford.’ And everyone is probably like that and he’s just the chillest guy and he’s just so cool and, like, he’s very unassuming, you know, and warm and funny and so it’s like, I got myself all worked up in meeting him.

“then after I’d spent time with him, I’m like, oh, he’s like, you know, he kind of felt like my dad.”

‘Pete’s Dragon’ is released in cinemas in the U.S. on August 12.