There are three things which are banned from Disney movies

Pete's Dragon, the story of a boy named Pete and his best friend Elliot, who just happens to be a dragon. Photo / Disney

There are three things that Disney simply refuses to allow in its movies.

The writer and director of the upcoming Disney film, Pete's Dragon, revealed to Ain't It Cool News what was banned in his contract.

"When you sign a contract with Disney, the things it says your film cannot have are beheadings, impalement or smoking," David Lowery said.

"Those are literally the three things you are not allowed to put into a Disney film ... they literally have those words in the contract as things you're not allowed to do."

Cruella Deville from 101 Dalmatians smoked cigarettes, which is now banned in future Disney movies.

The smoking ban was introduced by Disney last year but there are a couple of exceptions.

"Disney has determined not to depict cigarette smoking in movies produced by it after 2015 (2007 in the case of Disney branded movies) and distributed under the Disney, Pixar, Marvel or Lucasfilm labels, that are rated G, PG or PG-13, except for scenes that:

• depict a historical figure who may have smoked at the time of his or her life; or

• portray cigarette smoking in an unfavourable light or emphasise the negative consequences of smoking."

The impalement ban obviously came into effect after 1989's The Little Mermaid in which Ursula was fatally wounded by the bow of a ship.

Pete's Dragon is due out in New Zealand cinemas on September 15 and Lowery has also been announced as the director of Disney's upcoming live-action reboot of Peter Pan.