On February 15, 2016, Disney released their teaser trailer for their new version of Pete’s Dragon:

And on April 15, 2016, Entertainment Weekly published an image of what Elliot the Dragon looked like:

This is a dragon?

My curiosity brought me over to Amazon.com to see what books would be published as a tie-in. One such book was

Pete’s Dragon: Elliot Gets Lost Hardcover – June 28, 2016

“A puppy named Elliot and his human family go for a picnic in the woods. But when Elliot wanders off and finds himself lost in the forest, he must decide where he belongs and find his way home.”

So Elliot was originally a puppy and he turned into a dragon to help Pete survive in the forest?

Checking the site today, I find that the book description has changed, with the first sentence eliminated, the second sentence rewritten and more text added:

“Elliot the puppy is lost in the forest, and needs to find a new home. Will it be with a family of sheep, or a questioning owl, or maybe some playful fox cubs? Or will his search lead him somewhere else? From the screen to the page, Elliot Gets Lost will bring the fun and heartwarming story of a lost puppy to readers of all ages. Seen in the 2016 movie Pete’s Dragon as one of Pete’s prized possessions, the picture book was brought to the page by the film’s creative team, and features never-before-seen illustrations. Fans of the movie and picture books alike will love this story of a young puppy’s journey.”

OK. So Elliot is really a dog in dragon flesh. That explains why the dragon is furry.

We’ll find out for sure when the film is released on August 12. Here’s the full trailer uploaded June 14, 2016:

At least this Elliot has wings large enough to support him as he flies!