How to Train Your Dragon is a 2025 American fantasy film and a live-action remake of the 2010 animated film, itself loosely based on the 2003 novel by Cressida Cowell. Produced by DreamWorks Animation, the film was written and directed by Dean DeBlois, who co-wrote and directed the animated films. It stars Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gabriel Howell, Julian Dennison, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, Peter Serafinowicz, and Nick Frost, with Gerard Butler reprising his role of Stoick the Vast from the animated films.
Plans for a live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon were announced in February 2023, with DeBlois returning to write, direct, and produce after previously spearheading the animated film trilogy. John Powell, who also worked on the trilogy, additionally returned to compose the score for the film. Thames and Parker joined the cast by May 2023, with additional casting announced in January 2024. Filming began later that month in Belfast, Northern Ireland and wrapped in May. It is DreamWorks Animation’s first live-action film.[5]
How to Train Your Dragon premiered at CinemaCon on April 2, 2025, and was released in the United States by Universal Pictures on June 13. The film received generally positive reviews from critics and has grossed $380 million worldwide, becoming the eighth-highest-grossing film of 2025. A sequel based on the second film in the trilogy is scheduled to be released on June 11, 2027
Cast
- Mason Thames as Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, the awkward 16-year-old son of Stoick the Vast[7]
- Nico Parker as Astrid Hofferson, Hiccup’s love interest and fellow student in dragon-fighting training[7]
- Gerard Butler as Stoick the Vast, the chieftain of Berk and Hiccup’s father; Butler reprises his role from the animated films.[8]
- Nick Frost as Gobber the Belch, Berk’s blacksmith, a close friend of Stoick’s and teacher of the tribe’s young dragon fighting recruits[9]
- Gabriel Howell as Snotlout Jorgenson, Hiccup’s rival[10]
- Julian Dennison as Fishlegs Ingerman, Hiccup’s best friend[10]
- Bronwyn James as Ruffnut Thorston, Tuffnut’s twin sister[10]
- Harry Trevaldwyn as Tuffnut Thorston, Ruffnut’s twin brother[10]
- Peter Serafinowicz as Spitelout Jorgenson, Snotlout’s father and Stoick’s second-in-command
- Ruth Codd as Phlegma the Fierce, a member of the Viking village.[11]
- Naomi Wirthner as Gothi, the village elder
- Murray McArthur as Hoark[12]
- Andrea Ware as Burnheart, a member of the Viking village
- Anna Leong Brophy as Retcha, a member of the Viking village
- Marcus Onilude as Snorti, a member of the Viking village
- Peter Selwood as Drül, a member of the Viking village
- Daniel-John Williams as Fungi, a member of the Viking village
- Kate Kennedy as Flatula, a member of the Viking village
- Selina Jones as Loogi, a member of the Viking village
- Nick Cornwall as Hürl, a member of the Viking village
- Samuel Johnson as Skaldor, a member of the Viking village
