<Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $143.7 million </Td> </Tr> <P> Pete's Dragon is a 2016 American fantasy comedy - drama adventure film directed by David Lowery, written by Lowery and Toby Halbrooks, and produced by James Whitaker . The film is a reworking of the 1977 musical film of the same name written by Malcolm Marmorstein . The film stars Bryce Dallas Howard, Oakes Fegley, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, Oona Laurence, and Robert Redford . The film tells the story of an orphaned feral boy who befriends a dragon in the Pacific Northwest, and the ensuing repercussions of their discovery by the town's local residents . </P> <P> Pete's Dragon premiered at the El Capitan Theatre on August 8, 2016 and was theatrically distributed by Walt Disney Pictures in the United States in 2D, Disney Digital 3 - D, and RealD 3D formats on August 12, 2016 . The film received positive reviews from critics and has grossed $143 million worldwide against a $65 million production budget . </P> <P> In 1977, Pete Healy, a five - year - old boy, is on a road trip with his parents when their car flips off the road following a near - collision with a deer . Pete's mom and dad are killed, but Pete survives the accident and is chased into the forest by a pack of wolves . He is rescued by a huge dragon with green fur, yellow eyes, and wings . The dragon quickly bonds with Pete and becomes protective of the boy . Pete names the dragon "Elliot" after the character of a lost puppy from his favorite book . </P>

When did the movie pete's dragon come out