This shot-for-shot faithful live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon might seem like an unnecessary remake of a fantastic film, but honestly? I kind of want to see it.
From three-time Oscar® nominee and Golden Globe winner Dean DeBlois, the creative visionary behind DreamWorks Animation’s acclaimed How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, comes a stunning live-action reimagining of the film that launched the beloved franchise.
On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup (Mason Thames; The Black Phone, For All Mankind) stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler, reprising his voice role from the animated franchise), Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society.
With the fierce and ambitious Astrid (BAFTA nominee Nico Parker; Dumbo, The Last of Us) and the village’s quirky blacksmith Gobber (Nick Frost; Snow White and the Huntsman, Shaun of the Dead) by his side, Hiccup confronts a world torn by fear and misunderstanding.
As an ancient threat emerges, endangering both Vikings and dragons, Hiccup’s friendship with Toothless becomes the key to forging a new future. Together, they must navigate the delicate path toward peace, soaring beyond the boundaries of their worlds and redefining what it means to be a hero and a leader.
The film also stars Julian Dennison (Deadpool 2), Gabriel Howell (Bodies), Bronwyn James (Wicked), Harry Trevaldwyn (Smothered), Ruth Codd (The Midnight Club), BAFTA nominee Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Murray McArthur (Game of Thrones).
How to Train Your Dragon is written, produced and directed by DeBlois, with Marc Plattand and Adam Siegel. The movie is filmed for IMAX®, so that’s one of the venues in which you’ll be able to see it.
The franchise was inspired by Cressida Cowell’s New York Times bestselling book series of the same name.
Frankly, from my perspective, while I’m not sure it was artistically necessary, it might have been from Dreamwork’s business standpoint, and I get that. If you’re a company, you have an obligation to do things that keep the doors open. At least as long as they’re doing it, though, they’re doing a good job, and it will feel like they’ve earned their place when it arrives in theaters on June 13, 2025.
