How to Train Your Dragon (live-action)
How to Train Your Dragon is a 2025 American fantasy adventure film and a live-action remake of the 2010 animated film of the same name.
How to Train Your Dragon is a 2025 American fantasy adventure film and a live-action remake of the 2010 animated film of the same name. Written and directed by Dean DeBlois, it follows Hiccup, a young Viking who befriends the dragon Toothless and challenges his village’s traditions. The film was released in June 2025 alongside other highly anticipated films such as F1 Movie, Zootopia 2, Avatar: Fire and Ash, Sinners, and Happy Gilmore 2, and was distributed widely in Canada through Universal’s North American release.
Plot
The film follows Hiccup, a Viking teenager who befriends Toothless, a dragon that his people would normally fight. The friendship challenges long-standing conflict between Vikings and dragons and reshapes his village’s beliefs.
Production
The remake was announced in 2023, with Dean DeBlois returning to lead the project. It was produced by Marc Platt Productions and distributed by Universal Pictures, with the release later moved from March to June 2025.
Cast
The principal cast includes Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gerard Butler, Nick Frost, Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, and Peter Serafinowicz. Butler reprises Stoick the Vast from the animated films.
Relation to the franchise
The live-action film adapts the first installment of the How to Train Your Dragon franchise, which originated with Cressida Cowell’s novels and the 2010 animated feature. It is part of a broader franchise that also includes sequels and related media.
Key facts
- It is a live-action remake of DreamWorks Animation’s 2010 film How to Train Your Dragon.
- Dean DeBlois returned to write and direct the remake after co-writing and directing the animated original.
- Mason Thames stars as Hiccup, and Gerard Butler reprises his role as Stoick the Vast.
- The story centers on a Viking teen who befriends a dragon instead of hunting it, shifting relations between humans and dragons.
- The film was released in theatres in June 2025 after being delayed from an earlier planned March 2025 date.
The film was distributed widely in Canada through Universal’s North American release and was covered by Canadian media, including CBC News, in reviews and entertainment reporting.[11]
Frequently asked questions
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When was it released?
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Does Gerard Butler appear in the film?
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References
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Train_Your_Dragon_(2025_film)Supports: Release year, director, cast, and remake status
- Netflix Tudum — https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/how-to-train-your-dragon-release-date-newsSupports: Live-action remake status, story premise, director, and source material
- Variety — https://variety.com/2023/film/news/how-to-train-your-dragon-live-action-new-movie-1235524435/Supports: Announcement, planned release, and franchise context
- The Washington Post — https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/movies/2025/06/12/how-to-train-your-dragon-live-action-review/Supports: Runtime, release timing, rating, and thematic description
- BBC News — https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62g2mpkd3yoSupports: First live-action interpretation and setting/context
- CBC News — https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/how-to-train-your-dragon-review-1.7557653Supports: Canadian coverage and plot description
- Netflix — https://www.netflix.com/title/83077834Supports: Live-action remake description and cast
- Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/how_to_train_your_dragon_2025Supports: Director, producer, distributor, rating, and genre