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Live-action ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ adaptation set from creator of beloved animated trilogy
Kind of makes you want to flash a toothy grin, no?
You know what's awesome? Animated dragons. You know what may just be awesomer? Live-action dragons. Either way, dragons! But if you’re the type who prefers your live-action dragons to be of the trained variety, well, here's something to sink your teeth into.
According to Variety, a live-action adaptation of the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy is set to chomp its way into theaters come 2025. Of course, what would a Hiccup and Toothless story be without original trilogy writer/director Dean DeBlois on board? Well, you don’t have to worry about that because the man behind 2010’s How to Train Your Dragon, 2014’s How to Train Your Dragon 2 (now streaming on Peacock!), and 2019’s How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, is returning to write, direct and produce the franchise's (and his) first live-action feature.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, casting is already underway for the project.
Universal Pictures and DreamWorks’ first HTTYD film follows the adventures of misfit Viking teen Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) and his burgeoning friendship with an injured dragon he dubs Toothless, and earned Oscar noms for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score. The film – which also features the vocal stylings America Ferrera, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jonah Hill, Kristen Wiig, and David Tennant – kicked off a flourishing franchise based on the books by Cressida Cowell. Both sequels also earned Best Animated Feature nods.
According to Variety, the films alone have raked in some $1.6 billion worldwide. Then there's the five short films: Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon, Book of Dragons, Gift of the Night Fury, Dawn of the Dragon Racers, and How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming. And of course there’s the three TV series: DreamWorks Dragons, Rescue Riders, and The Nine Realms. And we certainly can't forget about the theme park rides, graphic novels, comic books, video games, arena show, or the How to Train Your Dragon on Ice live show.
Dragons on ice! So yeah, perhaps live-action film dragons are just the next logical flight for this beloved franchise.
On the studio side, Universal’s VP of production development, Lexi Barta, is joining DeBlois for producing duties, as are Marc Platt (who's earned Best Picture Oscar noms for La La Land, Bridge of Spies and Trial of the Chicago 7) and Adam Siegel of Universal-based company Marc Platt Productions. Platt is currently walking down the Yellow Brick Road of Universal’s Wicked adaptation starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.
The new live-action adaptation of the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy hits theaters March 14, 2025.
In the mood for some serious dragon training fun in the meantime? How to Train Your Dragon 2 is currently streaming on Peacock, alongside four seasons of Dragons: The Nine Realms.
