Plans for a live-action remake of 2010's How to Train Your Dragon were announced in February 2023, with DeBlois returning to write, direct, and produce, while
John Powell, who worked on the original trilogy, also returned to compose the score of the film. Thames and Parker joined the cast by May 2023, with additional casting revealed in January 2024. Filming began later that month in
Belfast,
Northern Ireland.
How to Train Your Dragon is set to be released theatrically in the United States on June 13, 2025.
Cast
Mason Thames as Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, the awkward son of Stoick the Vast.[1]
Nico Parker as Astrid Hofferson, Hiccup's fellow student in dragon-fighting training as well as his love interest.[1]
Gerard Butler as Stoick the Vast, the chieftain of Berk and Hiccup's father; Butler reprises his role after having previously voiced the character in the animated films.[2]
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.[3]
Ruth Codd as Phlegma, a member of the Viking village[5]
Production
Development
In February 2023, it was reported that a live-action adaptation of
DreamWorks Animation's 2010 How to Train Your Dragon film, which was loosely based on
Cressida Cowell's
eponymous book series, was in development at
Universal Pictures, with
Dean DeBlois directing, writing, and producing the film after previously writing and directing the animated entries, and
Marc Platt and Adam Siegel joining as co-producers.[6] That same month,
John Powell revealed he was set to compose the film's music, after having previously scored the original film and its sequels.[7]
Casting
In May 2023, it was announced that
Mason Thames and
Nico Parker had been cast to star as Hiccup and Astrid respectively.[1] In January 2024,
Gerard Butler was cast to reprise his role as Stoick from the animated films,[2] with
Nick Frost,
Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell,
Bronwyn James, and
Harry Trevaldwyn joining the cast later that same month, who were cast to play Gobber, Fishlegs, Snotlout, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, respectively.[3][4] In March,
Ruth Codd joined the cast of the film portraying Phlegma.[5]
Filming
Principal photography was originally scheduled to begin in July 2023 in
Belfast,
Northern Ireland before it was postponed due to the
2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[8][9] After the strike concluded, screen tests were set for December 2023, with plans to begin production in mid-to-late January 2024.[9] Filming began on January 15, 2024.[10][11]Bill Pope serves as the cinematographer.[12] Production was done with heavy use of practical sets.[13]
Visual effects
Framestore will provide the film's visual effects, with
Christian Manz serving as the production VFX supervisor.[14]
Release
How to Train Your Dragon is scheduled to be released by
Universal Pictures on June 13, 2025.[15] It was previously set for release on March 14, 2025,[6] but was delayed to its current release date due to the
2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[15]