'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAf/xAAeEAACAgICAwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgADBAUREzGBkf/EABUBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIE/8QAGBEAAwEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIRAQP/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AJtVqs06G3NruoVKqmYggktx5HuT9tjkhiO1/sRJuLa1o2yQ/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
DreamWorks’ beloved dragon saga has just reached new heights, literally and figuratively, as the live-action remake of How To Train Your Dragon has officially dethroned every animated installment before it. The film is now the highest-grossing installment in the franchise’s history.
Opening in June 2025 with Mason Thames and Nico Parker leading the cast, and Gerard Butler reprising his role as Stoick, the Dean DeBlois-directed epic has injected fresh fire into the Viking-meets-dragon universe. With a worldwide haul now soaring past $623 million, it’s proof that the bond between a boy and his dragon still has audiences completely spellbound.
More details about How To Train Your Dragon's live-action film
How To Train Your Dragon was one of the many live-action films released this year, and seeing the figures and fan reactions, it soared past most of them. This reimagining of DreamWorks’ 2010 animated favourite, itself born from Cressida Cowell’s 2003 novel, is the studio’s first venture into live action.
Dean DeBlois, the mastermind behind the animated trilogy of How to Train Your Dragon, comes back in the director’s chair with complete creative control, determined to give the story both grit and grandeur. Composer John Powell returns, bringing back the soaring themes that made the original film's score unforgettable.
Mason Thames steps into the role of Hiccup, while Gerard Butler steps in as Stoick the Vast, joined by Nick Frost’s gruff Gobber, plus Gabriel Howell, Julian Dennison, Bronwyn James, and Harry Trevaldwyn as Berk’s most chaotic teen dragon tamers.
Filming was as much an adventure as the story itself. Belfast, Northern Ireland, provided the bones of Berk, while the Faroe Islands’ Tindhólmur and Drangarnir gave the film its windswept wings. Bill Pope’s cinematography blends sweeping IMAX shots with intimate, ground-level grit. Practical sets were used, but DeBlois sprinkled in moments recreated shot-for-shot from the animated classic, making it all the more nostalgic for fans of the franchise.
The plot keeps its emotional core. Hiccup, son of the village chief, wants to prove himself in a place where strength means everything. During a raid, he downs the mythical Night Fury, only to spare it. That choice births Toothless, a friendship, and a secret that could upend everything Berk believes. When Stoick unwittingly uses Toothless to lead him to the dragons’ nest, it sparks a battle against the monstrous Red Death. The victory costs Hiccup part of his leg, but wins him a future where Vikings and dragons fly together.
Trending
After premiering at CinemaCon in April 2025, the film’s June 13 release turned into a box office flight path straight to $623.5 million worldwide. A sequel, already in the works, will land June 11, 2027, giving more hope to a live-action franchise.
How to Train Your Dragon is now in theaters.
Love movies? Try our Box Office Game and Movie Grid Game to test your film knowledge and have some fun!
Reply
