Production Has Begun on “Pete’s Dragon” Remake

WDWNT on February 26, 2015

Principal photography on Pete’s Dragon commenced this week in New Zealand. A re-imagining of the 1977 Disney classic, Pete’s Dragon will blend live action and CGI to tell the story of the special bond between an orphaned boy, Pete, and his best friend, Elliott, who just happens to be a dragon.

The film stars Bryce Dallas Howard as Grace, a park ranger who discovers the existence of Elliott; 10-year-old Oakes Fegley as Pete; Wes Bentley as Jack, a local mill owner; New Zealand native Karl Urban as Jack’s brother, Gavin; Oona Laurence as Natalie, the young girl who befriends Pete; and Oscar® winner Robert Redford as Grace’s father.

Pete’s Dragon is directed by David Lowery and produced by Jim Whitaker, with Barrie Osborne serving as executive producer. The screenplay is by Lowery and Toby Halbrooks. WETA Digital, the visual effects company founded by filmmaker Peter Jackson based in New Zealand, will utilize the latest in digital effects to bring the dragon, Elliott, to life. The film is scheduled to be released in U.S. theaters in August, 2016.

“This is a story about how magic can enter one’s life and change the way they see the world. And I think David Lowery is the perfect director to bring this project to life,” says Whitaker.

The production begins shooting in and around Wellington before moving north to the Rotorua area, and will complete principal photography in the South Island communities of Tapanui and Invercargill.

Film New Zealand, the country’s national film office and sister agency Film Wellington assisted the Walt Disney Studios in assessing and confirming New Zealand for the production.

“New Zealand has long been a wonderful partner for film production. Wellington’s state-of-the-art facilities and filmmaker-friendly community, in particular, make it an ideal location to shoot and be based out of,” says Osborne.

Pete’s Dragon is set for theatrical release in August 2016.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” Movie Begins Production in Australia

WDWNT on February 26, 2015

Production has begun on location in Australia on Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ epic comedy adventure Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, directed by Espen Sandberg, the fifth entry in the blockbuster franchise inspired by the classic Disney Theme Parks attraction, which has reaped $3.7 billion in worldwide box office. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales will film entirely at Village Roadshow Studios and on locations within Queensland, Australia.

 Pirates

Johnny Depp returns to his iconic, Academy Award®-nominated role of Captain Jack Sparrow, one of the most beloved characters in motion picture history, newly joined by Oscar® winner Javier Bardem, rising young stars Kaya Scodelario and Brenton Thwaites  and Golshifteh Farahani. Rejoining the action are Academy Award® winner Geoffrey Rush as Barbossa, Kevin R. McNally as Joshamee Gibbs and Stephen Graham as Scrum.

Thrust into an all-new adventure, a down-on-his-luck Captain Jack Sparrow finds the winds of ill-fortune blowing even more strongly when deadly ghost pirates led by his old nemesis, the terrifying Captain Salazar (Bardem), escape from the Devil’s Triangle, determined to kill every pirate at sea…including him.  Captain Jack’s only hope of survival lies in seeking out the legendary Trident of Poseidon, a powerful artifact that bestows upon its possessor total control over the seas.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and written by Jeff Nathanson. The executive producers are Chad Oman, Joe Caracciolo, Jr. and Brigham Taylor.