Everything We Know About the HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON Live-Action Movie
Movieguide® Contributor
That’s right. Dream Works’ HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON is getting a live-action remake. Here’s everything we know so far.
“DreamWorks’ HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON is coming to screens again, only this time with real-life actors instead of animated characters,” Parade reported Sept. 29. “…The HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON remake was first announced in February 2023 and since wrapped filming.”
Movieguide® gave all three animated movies in the franchise favorable reviews, and the first and third movies were given Teddy Bear Awards®. A portion of the review for HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON reads:
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON is funny, entertaining, exciting, and heart-warming family fun. The 3D effects are excellent and exhilarating! The main theme is the reconciliation between Hiccup and his father, as well as the other Vikings. There is also a solid, positive redemptive message about a hero sacrificing himself to subdue and redeem creation and mankind. The movie has some scary scenes, however. And, there are references to the pagan Norse mythology of the Vikings. So, caution for younger children is advised.
The live-action movie will be released next year on June 13 and is produced by Universal. It’s currently in post-production and was initially scheduled to come out next year on Mar. 14, but got delayed due to SAG-AFTRA strikes.
“Fans of HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON may already know that the movies are based upon a book series by Cressida Cowell, the first of which was published in 2003. And even more dedicated fans know the animated movies didn’t stick too closely to the source material,” Parade said.
“However, it’s looking like the live-action remake means to follow the plot of the first animated movie, the story that everyone knows and loves, rather than that of the book. It will center on a boy named Hiccup living on the Isle of Berk,” Parade continued. “Instead of learning to fight and slay dragons, which is expected of him, Hiccup befriends a dangerous Night Fury dragon and names him Toothless. The plot follows Hiccup and Toothless as they try to stop the fighting between humans and dragons and find a way to live peacefully together.”
Though the plot is the same, it won’t be a real-life clone of the animated pic.
“I think it’s very much its own thing, but I’d like to think so much of that magic is also prevalent in this one. But I think it’s its own film and it’s its own interpretation and everyone has their own version of a character,” said Nico Parker, who plays Astrid in the live-action version. “It’s important not to get too wrapped up, especially because the animated ones are so brilliant.”
“It’s like, let’s not try and just do a play by play of that. And if anyone wants that, they can watch the animated ones,” she continued. “I think it’ll be wonderful, and if it isn’t, I’m having a wonderful time making it anyway. I’ll think it’s wonderful, no matter what.”
The same creator of the animated movies, Dean DeBlois, will direct, write and produce the live-action. He’s also the co-writer and co-director of LILO & STITCH.
The original movies’ same composer, John Powell, will also make a return, creating a fresh soundtrack for the movie.
“An official trailer has not been released yet for HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (2025)…a trailer will likely come out in the months leading up to the release date,” Parade reported.
The movie has an all-original cast, except for Gerard Butler, who will play Hiccup’s father, Stoic the Vast, as he voiced in the movies.
“Mason Thames, who led THE BLACK PHONE alongside Ethan Hawke, is set to play protagonist Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, a young blacksmith apprentice who befriends the dangerous dragon Toothless despite the wishes of his father, the village chief,” EW reported. “Jay Baruchel voiced Hiccup in the animated movies.”
Nick “Frost starred in HOT FUZZ (2007) and SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004). Here, he plays Gobber, Berk’s blacksmith who mentors Hiccup and counsels Stoick in matters that concern the village,” Parade said. “In the original movie, Gobber was voiced by Craig Ferguson.”
Frost enjoyed working with Thames in the movie and praised his performance in a recent interview.
“Even not when we’re shooting, just watching him, watching how his body works is so weird and funny, and he has funny bones and he’s lovely,” Frost said. “I got to meet his family a lot and they’re all lovely, and you can see why he’s as grounded as he is when you see where he comes from. We had a lot of scenes together, and there wasn’t one thing that I did during a scene that was unscripted that ruffled him at all. He just loved it.”
“He loved to improvise,” Frost continued. “We loved to improvise together. I was like, ‘Hey, why don’t we try this?’ And he’d be like, ‘Yeah, let’s do it!’”
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