(Updated 01/15/2025)
When the CG-animated family fantasy HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON opened in 2010, the adventure movie became an instant hit. The story follows a young Viking named Hiccup who stumbles into a pivotal role in his village's age-old battle with dragons. With a great cast, and excellent script and talented filmmaking, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON stands as a modern classic, and the two sequels are every bit as good.
Now the filmmaker who led the original trilogy has directed a live-action version of HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON. The movie arrives this summer, with a new cast, and we can't wait to see how the story of Hiccup and his dragon companion, Toothless, has evolved as a live-action story. Here's the first teaser trailer and everything you need to know about the new HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON movie.
What's the New How to Train Your Dragon Movie Release Date?
Universal Pictures will release HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON on June 13, 2025.
Watch the First Trailer for the New How to Train Your Dragon
This first trailer for HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON mostly introduces us to the live-action version of the world, but we see quite a lot! Most importantly, this teaser shows the first interaction between the young Hiccup, who is pushed to slay a dragon despite not believing it's the right thing to do, and Toothless, dragon who quickly becomes his best friend.
How to Train Your Dragon Is By the Original Filmmaker
Dean DeBlois wrote and directed the three animated movies — the first co-directing with Chris Sanders and co-writing with Sanders and Will Davies. He returns to write and direct the live-action HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, setting up a pleasantly surprising level of continuity between the original animated movies and this new live-action version.
As with the original movies, the book by Cressida Cowell is the inspiration for the new film. Dean DeBlois says that live-action changes the game. “It’s so dialed-up in terms of stakes," he told Empire. "Having a fully credible, photo-real dragon stomping around trying to kill [Hiccup]."
Who's in the How to Train Your Dragon Live-Action Cast?
While HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON features the return of original writer/director Dean DeBlois, most of the cast is different. Even if Jay Baruchel wanted to reprise the role of Hiccup which he performed so well as a voice actor, at 42 he's far too old to play the part.
So Mason Thames of THE BLACK PHONE plays Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III. Nico Parker of "The Last of Us" and Tim Burton's DUMBO plays Astrid Hofferson. And Nick Frost plays blacksmith Gobber the Belch, Julian Dennison plays Hiccup's bestie, Fishlegs Ingerman, Gabriel Howell plays Snotlout Jorgenson, Bronwyn James plays Ruffnut Thorston, Harry Trevaldwyn plays Ruffnut's twin, Tuffnut Thorston, and Ruth Codd is Phlegma.
The one returning cast member we know about right now is Gerard Butler, who reprises the role of Hiccup's father, Stoick the Vast, the chieftain of Berk. Butler voiced the character in the animated movies.
Butler recently talked about his costume, which sounds like the sort of gear that would put you right in the Viking mindset. "I had seven layers, thick layers," he said, "and a thick beard. And I had a bear skin, or a wolves skin over — no, I think it was a bear skin. I don't know what it was. Anyway, it was heavy as sh*t. When I had my sword and my shield, and the helmet, which was heavy, all those layers with clasps that went round, it was 90lbs of costume. And I was on the coldest day, soaking wet from sweat."
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON opens on June 13.
All images courtesy of Universal Pictures.