Already set to star opposite some enormous reptiles in next summer’s Jurassic World, Bryce Dallas Howard is targeting Walt Disney Pictures’ upcoming remake of Pete’s Dragon. Variety has the news, reporting that the Spider-Man 3 star is in talks for the female lead in the David Lowery film.
The original film, a hybrid of live action and animation, was released in 1977 and followed the adventures of Pete, a young orphan boy with an imaginary friend, Elliot, who just happens to be an enormous animated dragon. The new version will offer the dragon via CGI and will have the Pete character joined by a human friend, Natalie. Oakes Fegley (This is Where I Leave You) and Oona Laurence (“Penny Dreadful”) have already been cast in those respective roles.
It was revealed last month that Academy Award winner Robert Redford (who recently starred in Marvel Studios’ Captain America: The Winter Solider) is targeting the role of a local storyteller who knows a few good tales about dragons.
Howard, well known to fans of The Twilight Saga for playing Victoria in the second half of the franchise, also recently starred in Jonathan Levine’s 50/50 and Tate Taylor’s Academy Award-winning The Help. Jurassic World, wherein she stars opposite Judy Greer, Chris Pratt, Ty Simpkins, Irrfan Khan and many more, hits theaters June 12, 2015.
Lowery has also co-written the screenplay for Pete’s Dragon with Toby Halbrooks and is set to begin production shortly in New Zealand. Jim Whitaker (American Gangster, The Odd Life of Timothy Green is attached to produce.
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