It’s official—the beloved animated film, How to Train Your Dragon, is getting its very own live-action remake. The movie will reportedly follow a very similar storyline as the original. The first animated film features the protagonist, Hiccup, the son of the village chief, Stoick the Vast. Hiccup is an outsider in Viking society, as his skills don’t lie in physical strength but in creativity and intelligence. Hiccup is one of the few members of his society who’s never fought or killed a dragon, and he’s determined to do so to prove himself to his father. But instead of killing a dragon, Hiccup ends up befriending one—a mysterious, powerful, and adorable dragon named Toothless.
Dreamworks announced the creation of this movie in February of 2023, and the reveal was received with mixed emotions from fans. On one hand, many were excited to see the cherished film on the big screen again. However, others were quickly apprehensive about this new movie.
The original animated film is treasured for many reasons. Not only the storyline, but charming characters, uplifting themes, and standout soundtrack all have made the original How to Train Your Dragon movie a pop-culture favorite over the years. Because of this, many loyal fans of the animated film are understandably concerned about tarnishing the well-established trilogy. So, what information is available about the live-action movie? And are these fears valid?
Production of the live-action How to Train Your Dragon began in early 2024, with a promised release date of June 13th, 2025. Initially, the film was supposed to be released in March of 2025, but it ended up being pushed back a few months. Dean DeBlois, the same director from the initial series, will return to the project, and John Powell will also return to the team to work on the music. Also reprising his role will be Gerard Butler, as Stoick the Vast.
The rest of the cast has mostly been revealed as well. Mason Thames has been chosen for the leading role of Hiccup (previously seen in The Black Phone), with Nico Parker starring alongside him as Astrid (previously seen in The Last of Us). Nick Frost will play Gobber, with Julian Dennison as Fishlegs, Gabriel Howell as Snotlout, and Bronwyn James and Harry Trevaldwyn as Ruffnut and Tuffnut, respectively.
However, despite all of these promising aspects—the return of a familiar director, composer, and leading actor, along with a strong cast—some hesitation remains. Some fear that changes will be made to the old story or music, creating a gap in what’s already known and loved by fans. Others are wary of the transition from animation to live-action. The dragons may be hard to recreate without the use of animation. How will Toothless’ facial expressions be conveyed well on a realistic-looking Nightfury? Will the budget be large enough to use CGI or practical effects to create the amount of dragons needed for the movie?
This newest film announcement also begs the question for Dreamworks: Will the company begin to make more live-action remakes of their older movies? Viewers have watched Disney produce remake after remake, even though most have not performed critically well. If Dreamworks starts to follow in Disney’s footsteps and go a similar route, will it be beneficial or harmful for the company? While some of their films might adapt well to a new format, others are probably better left in their animated form.
The question is left then: Is How to Train Your Dragon a movie better left alone in its untouched, animated state? Or will the live-action version be successful?
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