How to Train Your Dragon Live Action Film (2025)

[Alex...]

Title: How to Train Your Dragon Live Action Film

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure

Director: Dean DeBlois

Cast: Mason Thames, Nico Parker

Release: 2025-03-14

Plot: A live-action adaption of the animated film of the same name.

 

[Alex...]

 

[jayembee]

sigh

 

[Joe Wong]

I really liked the first 2 films (haven’t seen the 3rd yet), but with the speed that live action versions are being made, are we going to see a live action Super Mario Bros in 2025?

 

[Malcolm R]

I'd rather see another animated film.

 

[JamesSmith]

sigh

Double sigh.

==jthree

 

[Jeff Cooper]

I really liked the first 2 films (haven’t seen the 3rd yet), but with the speed that live action versions are being made, are we going to see a live action Super Mario Bros in 2025?

You can already see one right now if you want.

 

[Joe Wong]

You can already see one right now if you want.

Indeed... though I meant a live-action version of the current 2023 film.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I'd rather see another animated film.

I think the way the third film ended precludes that from happening. I love the trilogy, I think they stuck the landing and I respect the choice to end that on a creative high. I don't really want them to touch that. I'm not really excited about a remake, but if the remake prevents them from ruining the animated trilogy, then that's okay.

I do find it interesting/surprising that Dean DeBlois is writing and directing an adaptation of his own film. That distinguishes it from the Disney remakes, which (so far) have given the titles to new directors. This movie will be released around the 15th anniversary of the first film, so he will have spent almost two decades of his life doing four of these in a row.

DeBlois was also announced to direct a couple other projects after The Hidden World came out which don't seem to have taken off. I don't want to sound too judge-y, but it makes me wonder if he is coming back to Dragon because it is his signature franchise and he couldn't get those other ones done. Or does he actually have a fresh idea? I would be interested in knowing the genesis of this project, whether Universal came to DeBois and asked him to do this or whether he came to them with a pitch.

Anyway, I hope it ends up being good. But doing this only six years after the trilogy ended does come off as kind of desperate. I'd love to be wrong.

 

[jayembee]

I liked the animated Dragon trilogy well enough, but my wife loved them a lot more. And when I mentioned this remake, she just shook her head and said, "Can't they just do something completely new?!"

 

[Malcolm R]

I think they see Disney making tons of money of their live-action remakes, so time to be a copycat and follow instead of lead.

 

[Tino]

I was disappointed by the third film so I wouldn’t mind perhaps a fourth animated film to erase the bad taste of the third.

 

[Tino]

Just reread some of the comments in the thread for the third film and many of us here didn’t like it or were disappointed by it. Here was my review.

“Gotta say I was disappointed by this film greatly. Was really looking forward to it after loving the first two.

I mean it was ok with a sweet ending but is by far the weakest film in the trilogy. Everything from the villain to the action to the comedy had a kind of been there done that feel.

It was certainly gorgeous to look at and the 3D was great but I left the theater with a depressing “meh” feeling. I’m bummed.”

 

[Jake Lipson]

Disclosure: I'm one of the people who liked the third film.

I think that the way it ended essentially precludes a fourth film in that continuity unless they want to pretend the third one never happened. The existence of the live-action version seems to be a way for Universal to continue making money off this franchise without having to disturb the ending of the trilogy.

They even got Dean DeBlois back to remake his own film. (The first film was co-directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois and then DeBois handled the sequels individually.) If he wanted to make a fourth film in the original series, I'm sure Universal would greenlight that. But what he is doing instead is remaking the first one with live actors. That to me says he simply isn't interested in continuing the animated version, and I respect that. I'm not sure how I feel about a remake, but I respect his desire to leave the ending of the animated trilogy alone.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Pushed back to June 13, 2025 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. It is currently scheduled to open against Pixar's Elio, which was also recently rescheduled to that date.

‘How To Train Your Dragon’ Live-Action Feature Pushed Due To Actors Strike

Universal and DreamWorks Animation's live-action take on the animated movie How to Train Your Dragon is moving from March 14, 2025 to June 13, 2025.

deadline.com

I don't think it is particularly wise for both How to Train Your Dragon and Pixar to go on the same day. They are obviously both targeting the same family audience. This is not effective counterprogramming like Barbie and Oppenheimer. I suspect it might change again between now and then.

Incidentally, June 13 is the exact same release date How to Train Your Dragon 2 had back in 2014. However, there wasn't a Pixar movie that year. It opened against 22 Jump Street, which is a much more effective example of counterprogramming different films to compliment each other.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Gerard Butler is coming back to play Stoic again.

Gerard Butler Reprising ‘How To Train Your Dragon’ Role In Universal’s Live-Action Adaptation

EXCLUSIVE: Universal Pictures’ live-action adaptation of the DreamWorks Animation franchise How to Train Your Dragon is bringing back a familiar face, as sources tell Deadline that Gerard But…

deadline.com

 

[Alex...]

Nick Frost has joined, and will play Gobber the Belch.

‘How To Train Your Dragon’ Live-Action Remake Adds Nick Frost as One of the Vikings (Exclusive)

Dean DeBlois, who spearheaded the original trilogy from DreamWorks Animation, is making his live-action debut.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[Jake Lipson]

This isn't strictly related to the live-action version, but I figured this thread was as good as any to post this.

Harkins Theaters are showing the animated How to Train Your Dragon this weekend. This is the original film first released in 2010. I've also seen some ads about it being shown at some Regal theaters lately.

I'm not sure why this is happening with this particular film at this time. But I thought I'd post in case anyone would like to see it in a theater again.

Harkins Theatres - How to Train Your Dragon

A hapless young Viking who aspires to hunt dragons becomes the unlikely friend of a young dragon himself, and learns there may be more to the creatures than he assumed.

www.harkins.com

$2 Tickets - Saturday Morning Kids Flicks | Regal

For just $2 a ticket, come watch these family favorites each Saturday!

www.regmovies.com

 

[Malcolm R]

Some theaters seem to be bringing back older titles just to have something different on the screen. A theater near me has been doing this with a few titles, usually with reduced ticket prices.

 

[Jake Lipson]

More casting for the live-action version.

Universal’s Live-Action ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Adds Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James and Harry Trevaldwyn

Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James and Harry Trevaldwyn join the cast of Universal's live-action "How to Train Your Dragon" movie.

variety.com