The new look at the live-action remake of the animated classic How to Train Your Dragon soars into view thanks to the Super Bowl. From three-time Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winner Dean DeBlois, the director behind the original How to Train Your Dragon trilogy from DreamWorks Animation, comes this live-action reimagining of the movie that launched the beloved franchise.
Written, produced and directed by Dean DeBlois, How to Train Your Dragon stars Mason Thames (The Black Phone, For All Mankind) as Hiccup alongside BAFTA nominee Nico Parker (Dumbo, The Last of Us), Nick Frost (Snow White and the Huntsman, Shaun of the Dead), 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), Murray McArthur (Game of Thrones), and Gerard Butler (300, Den of Thieves) who reprises the role of Stoick. Alongside the new footage, you can also check out the official synopsis for the live-action reimagining below.
On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast, 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 and the village’s quirky blacksmith Gobber 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.
Inspired by Cressida Cowell’s New York Times bestselling book series, the How to Train Your Dragon franchise has been a huge success for the studio, earning four Academy Award nominations and grossing more than $1.6 billion at the global box-office. Returning star Gerard Butler has teased the "magic" in this new take. Speaking exclusively with MovieWeb, the actor explained...
“I can say it has just been a joy to be a part of these movies, to tell those stories, and see them being received by the public. And to work with Dean DeBlois, the director, and with all this amazing crew, then to see it come out — part of the reason I got into this business is knowing that you're taking magic and magical worlds, feelings, and ideas that maybe will entrance people and help them in their own lives.
Even if it's just to escape. This is going to bring all that. It’s going to be an unforgettable classic. I'm just honored to be a part of it.”
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Meanwhile, in a conversation with The Direct, Butler revealed how the live-action reimagining will differ from its animated predecessor: it's going be a lot scarier.
"I made three of those movies over many years, and I always wondered, I love the animated movies, but I always wondered, 'God, what if this was real? What if we were really there, real people, real dragons?' And we had a chance to do that, to make it real. And I think that is one of the main differences. When a dragon is breathing fire over a bunch of actual Viking men and women running, it feels a lot more scary than when it was animated. You have a little more you can distance yourself, but this feels much more involved and just immersive."
