Best How to Train Your Dragon movies, ranked

The How to Train Your Dragon movies became popular because of their honest depiction of friendship and change. The first How to Train Your Dragon film introduced Hiccup as a boy who did not fit in and how he found a real connection with a dragon named Toothless.

That connection turned into something bigger in each new How to Train Your Dragon film. As the characters grew older, the world became more complicated. The story never stayed constant, and they kept people guessing, on the edge of their seats. These movies did not rely on jokes or distractions, but rather focused on raw emotions.

Toothless became one of the most memorable characters of the series. Although he never spoke, he always exhibited what he felt. The bond of trust between Hiccup and Toothless evolved with the series, and each film took risks, sometimes leading the story into a more serious direction.

Where the third How to Train Your Dragon film had a strong ending, the second one had the most powerful turning point. The shorts added extra layers, but not all of them carried the same weight.

The list below looks at every movie and special and breaks down which ones stood out the most. While some were fun, the others were emotional. And a few managed to do both.

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Best How to Train Your Dragon movies, ranked

1. How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

Hiccup lives in a Viking village where killing dragons is expected. He injures a rare Night Fury during a raid but chooses not to finish the job. That decision changes everything. He builds a bond with the dragon he names Toothless and hides him in the forest.

Hiccup realizes dragons are not the monsters the village believes them to be. He teaches Toothless to fly again and learns how to communicate through trust and observation. He starts training differently and confuses everyone at the dragon-fighting school.

The final battle forces Hiccup to risk everything. He faces the Red Death and loses part of his leg. That moment gives the story weight. It proves the bond between him and Toothless means more than tradition. This film ranks first because it sets up the entire world without rushing. It created a friendship that felt honest and left a real mark on mainstream animation.

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2. How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)

Time has passed. Berk has changed. Dragons live alongside people, and Hiccup spends his time exploring new areas. He discovers a hidden dragon sanctuary and finds his mother, Valka, who protected dragons in secret for years.

Valka’s return helps Hiccup understand his own instincts. She sees dragons as equals and shows them a world without fighting. But their discovery puts them in danger. Drago, a warlord, wants to control dragons by force, brings an army and a huge alpha dragon to take over.

Stoick tries to protect his family, but dies when Toothless is forced to attack under mind control. That loss hits the audience hard. Hiccup steps up and challenges Drago, and learns leadership the hard way. The film lands in second place because it pushes the story forward in every aspect. It changes the tone, raises the stakes, and establishes that peace comes with a price.

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3. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)

Hiccup is now the chief of Berk and carries weight of the entire tribe. Grimmel, a dragon hunter, starts tracking Toothless and threatens everything they have built. Toothless meets a Light Fury and begins to drift away.

Hiccup finds the Hidden World, a place where dragons still live free from humans. He starts to question whether Berk is safe for dragons anymore. As danger grows, he realizes that holding on could mean losing everything. Toothless must choose between his new mate and the life he had with Hiccup.

Hiccup lets Toothless go to ensure the survival of dragons. Their goodbye is quiet and permanent. Years later, they reunite briefly but live apart. This ending does not feel easy, and that is why it works. The third film takes third place because it respects the journey, while does not undo the past. It closes the story with maturity and honesty.

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4. Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury (2011)

The story begins with all the dragons flying off without warning just before Snoggletog, a holiday in Berk. Everyone panics, while Hiccup stays behind to use the time to build a tail fin to aid Toothless in flying.

Back at the village, the others try to prepare for the holiday without their dragons. Meanwhile, Toothless struggles with the new tail. When the dragons return, they come back with baby dragons, they had left to nest. The village realizes their dragons have families now.

The short adds weight to Hiccup’s bond with Toothless. Even with the gift of independence, Toothless refuses to leave him. This moment matters because it is an indication of how deep their loyalty runs. The short takes fourth place because it strengthens the central friendship. It also depicts how much Berk has evolved. It is short but meaningful and fits perfectly between the larger chapters of the story.

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5. Dragons: Dawn of the Dragon Racers (2014)

This short takes place after Berk has adjusted to peaceful dragon life. The kids start competing to create a new sport. They come up with dragon racing as a way to keep the dragons active and entertained.

The short mostly focuses on Hiccup, Snotlout, and the gang testing rules, creating teams, and arguing about who started the first race. It is fun and energetic and highlights how close the group has become while giving the side characters a little more space.

There is no huge threat, and nothing changes the main story. But it is an everchanging representation of how Berk is evolving and how young Vikings are shaping the new culture. It earns the fifth spot because it adds detail without disrupting anything important. It is not essential, but it still adds to the world in a way that feels light and real.

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6. How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming (2019)

This epilogue follows Hiccup and Astrid after dragons have vanished into hiding. Their kids grow up hearing only old stories and start to fear dragons. Hiccup decides to put on a pageant to demonstrate what dragons truly meant.

At the same time, Toothless dreams of Hiccup and visits Berk without being seen. He brings his own kids and watches from the shadows. They nearly reunite, but they stop short. Hiccup never sees Toothless up close again, but the gesture still means something.

This short softens the end of the trilogy without reversing it. It focuses on memory, storytelling, and the importance of legacy. It takes sixth place because it offers closure but does not move the story forward. It exists so fans can visit Berk one last time. It may not be vital, but it respects the distance between humans and dragons and signifies that the bond still lingers.

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