'The Land Before Time' Is Getting a Remake, Lead Voice Actor Revealed

In an era where every animated film you can think of has been rebooted, it’s a surprise that the 1988 animated classic The Land Before Time hasn’t been given new life in the form of a “live action” (or photorealistic) remake similar to Disney’s The Lion King (2019).

Like the original Lion King (1994), The Land Before Time is a cherished classic. Directed and produced by Don Bluth, it follows young dinosaurs Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike as they embark on a journey to the Great Valley after a disaster destroys their home.

While there are no official projects in development, The Land Before Time (1988) is getting an unofficial remake by British filmmaker Joey Lever, best known for creating the fan film Spiderman: Lost Cause back in 2014. His new dinosaur film is titled Littlefoot (TBA).

Last year, Lever put out a casting call in which he called for a male or female voice actor between 8 and 15 with an American accent, adding that “the voice for Littlefoot should resonate with the essence of Jacob Tremblay, capturing his youthful exuberance, sincerity, and emotional depth.” The director also calls for actors to fill the role of Littlefoot’s mother:

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Tremblay, a child actor (now 18), is best known for his roles in films like The Predator (2018) and Doctor Sleep (2019). However, he has also lent his vocal talents to the animated film Luca (2021) and as Flounder in the live-action remake, The Little Mermaid (2023).

However, as reported by the BBC in April, it turns out that the upcoming fan-made film has since found its lead in 11-year-old Brit Summer-Joules, following a successful second audition in which she put pencils in her mouth to sound like she was “eating like a dinosaur”.

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Speaking about the audition process, Summer-Joules, who hails from Chester in the U.K. and is the daughter of talent agent Joanne Saunders (who founded the Chester-based Majestic Academy of Performing Arts), said, “There weren’t many actors in [the studio] because the actor I was with was from America, on a little computer.”

She added, “For some parts I had to put pencils in my mouth because I’d be eating like a dinosaur and there was lots of moving around.”

In the 1988 film, Littlefoot is voiced by Gabriel Damon, who did not reprise his role in the thirteen direct-to-video sequels, television series, or video games.

The casting call adds that the film “is a fan made project and has no association with the original 1988’s [The] Land Before Time film.”

For updates on the progress of Littlefoot, you can visit Joey Lever‘s YouTube channel.

Will The Land Before Time Get Remade?

Whether or not The Land Before Time will ever get an official remake remains to be seen.

Per the website for the film, here’s the synopsis:

From Steven Spielberg and George Lucas comes the animated classic that started a global phenomenon. Go back in time with Littlefoot, Cera, Spike, Ducky and Petrie—a group of very different young dinosaurs who find themselves thrown together when the world around them quickly changes.

With one common dream of making it to the lush, legendary Great Valley, they quickly learn that they’ll need to overcome differences and trust each other in order to survive. Fun, heartfelt and full of unforgettable characters, it’s an adventure the whole family will love to watch again and again.

All 14 Land Before Time films are available to stream or purchase.

Would you like to see a remake of The Land Before Time? Let us know!