The Big Screen: How To Train Your Dragon

On June 13, 2025, DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures will release the live-action adaptation of the beloved 2010 animated film How to Train Your Dragon. Directed, written, and co-produced by Dean DeBlois, who helmed the original trilogy, this reimagining brings the story of Hiccup and Toothless to life with a blend of practical effects and cutting-edge CGI.

Set on the Viking island of Berk, the film follows Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, a young Viking who challenges his tribe’s dragon-slaying traditions by befriending an injured Night Fury dragon named Toothless. Their unlikely friendship becomes the key to uniting humans and dragons against an ancient threat endangering both species.

The film stars Mason Thames as Hiccup and Nico Parker as Astrid Hofferson. Gerard Butler reprises his role as Stoick the Vast, Hiccup’s father, from the animated films. The cast also includes Nick Frost as Gobber the Belch, Julian Dennison as Fishlegs Ingerman, Gabriel Howell as Snotlout Jorgenson, Bronwyn James as Ruffnut Thorston, Harry Trevaldwyn as Tuffnut Thorston, and Ruth Codd as Phlegma the Fierce.

Filming took place in Northern Ireland, utilizing locations like Murlough Bay and Titanic Studios in Belfast to create the rugged landscapes of Berk. The production employed animatronic dragons developed by Creature Technology, enhancing the realism of dragon-human interactions.

The film’s score is composed by John Powell, returning from the original trilogy, adding a familiar musical backdrop to the new visuals.

As the first live-action adaptation of a DreamWorks animated film, How to Train Your Dragon (2025) aims to capture the magic of the original while offering a fresh perspective. With plans already announced for a sequel set for June 2027, the franchise is poised to continue enchanting audiences.

Fans can experience the film in theaters, including IMAX screenings, starting June 13, 2025.