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Movie · Fantasy, Drama · 2016 · PG

Pete's Dragon (2016): parents' guide

7+our pick

Best for ages 7 and up. Rated PG for action, peril and brief language.

A gentle, heartfelt adventure that suits most families with school-age kids. A boy who has lived alone in the woods for six years with a giant, furry dragon is found by a forest ranger, and a logger sets out to capture the dragon for profit. The opening is the hardest part: a car crash leaves five-year-old Pete orphaned, alone in a dark forest and circled by wolves. Later, hunters tranquilize and chain the dragon, and a chase ends with a bridge collapsing. There is no real swearing, no romance beyond hugs, and no drinking. Age 7 reflects the sad opening and the peril.

What's in it

Violence

Mild

Pete's parents die in the opening crash, offscreen. A logger pulls Pete from a tree and he is knocked out. Hunters bring Elliot down with tranquilizer darts and chain him, and his fire cracks a bridge so a car goes over. No blood.

Language

Mild

About as mild as it gets: a man breaks off an 'Oh my...' and an old woodcarver says the dragon's eyes glowed red like 'hellfire.' Reviewers also note a couple of mildly crude jokes. No swear words.

Sex and nudity

None

Nothing romantic beyond adults hugging. A ranger and her fiance are an established couple, but there are no love scenes, innuendo or nudity.

Drinking, drugs and smoking

None

None noted by reviewers: no one is shown drinking, smoking or using drugs, and alcohol plays no part in the story.

Scary or intense scenes

Moderate

The opening car crash, with little Pete suddenly alone and surrounded by wolves, can upset young children. Later the dragon is shot with darts, bound and caged, and kids may fear for his life. A collapsing bridge puts adults in danger.

Sensitive topics

  • Death of a parent
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Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Plugged In, Wikipedia, the-numbers.com, childrenandmedia.org.au. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.