<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 live - action reworking of the 1977 live - action / animated 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> <P> Six years later, Pete, now 11, spots a lumberjack crew chopping down trees near his home . Natalie, the daughter of the ethical site foreman Jack, spots and chases him . When Natalie accidentally falls from a tree, her screams attract her father Jack and his girlfriend, park ranger Grace Meacham . Pete tries to run away, but Gavin, Jack's pragmatic brother, accidentally knocks him unconscious . After realizing that Pete has vanished, Elliot stumbles around looking for him and ends up knocking over a tree near the lumber camp, leading Gavin to organize a hunting party to find him . Meanwhile, Pete wakes up in a local hospital, which he escapes in an effort to return to the forest . Before the police can catch the boy, Grace finds Pete and asks him to come to her home and promises to take him to the forest the next day . </P>

What name does pete give to the dragon in the 2016 movie 'pete's dragon'