How to Train a (Live-Action) Dragon

As a longtime fan of the original animated How to Train Your Dragon series, I must say that my excitement for the upcoming live-action film is palpable! Having grown up with Hiccup and Toothless, their adventures felt like an integral part of my childhood. So, when I heard that Dean DeBlois was returning to helm this new project, I knew it would be a journey worth taking once more.


It turns out that simply learning how to animate a dragon wasn’t sufficient. The story of “How to Train Your Dragon” is making a comeback, this time as a live-action film from Universal Pictures. Dean DeBlois, who wrote and directed the original trilogy in the 2010s, is once again at the helm. Some fans have expressed doubts about another adaptation, but DeBlois told Empire that the tale of a young Viking bonding with a dragon will feel fresh when brought to life. “The stakes are heightened – having a real, photo-real dragon trying to destroy him,” he said. (Even though Toothless still looks adorable in the first trailer, we’re getting sidetracked.)

Cressida Cowell, who wrote the book series that inspired the animated films, recently endorsed the upcoming “HTTYD” on her Instagram post after visiting the set in Northern Ireland this year. However, it remains to be seen if people will enjoy it as much as the original franchise. Given the (mostly) new cast of Vikings, their performances are likely to be compared to their animated counterparts who grossed over $1.6 billion at the global box office. Here’s what we know before its summer release. Some may question whether a live-action remake of a movie that debuted the same year as Instagram is necessary. At least, the new merchandise is expected to be cute!

What happens in the trailer?

Everyone can relax now: Toothless is cute! And not in an “Oh, how cute” kind of way you might politely eke out when your co-worker shoves a photo of their weird-looking baby in your face. I mean he’s a real stinkin’ cutie patootie — like, “hug and squeeze him until his eyes pop out” cute. In the first trailer for Universal’s live-action reimagining of Dreamworks’ 2010 film How to Train Your Dragon, there’s no hint that the CGI is going in the gritty, overly lifelike direction that has afflicted other live-action remakes of years past. Toothless the dragon’s scales are shined, his wings are perky, and his eyes are big and green and expressive. A win for cinephiles and Toothless Truthers everywhere!

Who’s in the cast of Vikings?

In this updated adaptation, Gerard Butler reprises his voice role, joined by Mason Thames, Nick Frost, Nico Parker, Ruth Codd, Julian Dennison, and Bronwyn James. The film is helmed by Dean DeBlois, who co-directed and penned the critically acclaimed original that earned an Oscar nomination. This story, inspired by the popular book series by Cressida Cowell, revolves around a compassionate young Viking who forms an unlikely bond with one of the winged creatures his people have long feared. From the 75-second trailer, it appears the live-action version will follow a comparable plot line: We catch a sneak peek of Hiccup (Thames) encountering Toothless for the first time, as well as breathtaking Nordic landscapes and stern guidance from Hiccup’s father, Chief Stoick the Vast (Butler).

When is the release date?

The movie “How to Train Your Dragon” is scheduled to hit theaters on June 13, 2025, which means we won’t have a prolonged wait for its release.

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2024-11-20 19:53