More than three decades after The Land Before Time first arrived in theaters, the animated film’s legacy continues to inspire new generations of artists.
Released in 1988 and directed by Don Bluth, the film followed a young Apatosaurus named Littlefoot on a perilous journey through a prehistoric world.
Executive-produced by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, it went on to spawn 13 direct-to-video sequels and an animated series, though it never reached the same level of global recognition as Disney’s The Lion King.
In recent years, animated classics have increasingly been revisited through remakes and reimaginings. The Lion King received a photorealistic update in 2019 that grossed more than $1.65 billion worldwide, followed by the 2024 prequel Mufasa, which earned $723 million. But The Land Before Time has yet to receive a comparable studio-driven revival.
That absence has helped fuel interest in Littlefoot, a 15-minute independent short film currently in production from filmmaker Joey Lever.
The project is not officially licensed, something Lever has been clear about from the start. He has stated the film has “no studio backing” and “no rights to the original,” and is being made by “artists who refuse to let this franchise fade away.”
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Rather than attempting a realistic visual style like 2019’s The Lion King, Lever previously explained the creative direction behind the animation.
“We knew straight away that we weren’t going to do hyper-realistic animals. There’s a reason why The Lion King 2019 didn’t connect emotionally. One of the big problems were their faces. They just didn’t allow for deeper connection because they were too realistic.”
Over the past year, Lever has shared short previews of the dinosaurs’ designs, showcasing expressive 3D interpretations of the original 2D characters.
Now, in a newly released video, he has also confirmed the full voice cast for the film.
Summer-Joules Saunders voices Littlefoot, with Larissa Loeffler as Mama Long Neck. Cristina Vee plays Cera, Mark Meer voices Toppy, A.J. LoCascio appears as Petrie, Sarah Natochenny voices Ducky, and Lever takes on the role of Spike.
No release date has been announced, but Littlefoot continues to build an audience online as production moves forward.
Would you like to see an official remake of The Land Before Time? Let us know in the comments!
