By Angelina Tang
The beloved Dreamworks trilogy How To Train Your Dragon is getting a live action remake, with its first production day having been January 15th, 2024. Dean DeBlois, who was the director of the original movies, will be returning to the chair and leading the remake; as he has proved himself to be a wonderful storyteller, many fans have high hopes for this film. This remake is unlike other live actions that have been coming out as of late, as it is supposedly going to revisit the original series and, while taking on the same themes and plot, remix it and bring a new and unique perspective to the big screens.
The remake was officially announced by Dreamworks back in February 2023, with its original release date being in March 2025. However, due to the actor and writer unions’ strikes that lasted for the majority of 2023, the release date has been pushed back to June 13th, 2025. Some of the cast members will include Mason Thames as Hiccup, Nico Parker as Astrid, Gerard Butler as Stoick the Vast, and Nick Frost as Gobber the Belch. Mason Thames is a 16 year old who has previously starred in Universal’s The Black Phone. He first gained his love for performance touring ballet with an international company as their youngest member. Nico Parker is a 19 year old who has previously starred in Disney’s live action remake of Dumbo, as well as the TV Show The Last of Us. Her role as Milly Farrier in Dumbo was the big break in her acting career. Gerard Butler and Nick Frost voiced Stoick the Vast, Hiccup’s father, and Gobber the Belch, Stoick’s ally, in the original movies. It is yet unsure as to whether any other voice actors from the original movies will be returning to the live action set.
Considering the general landscape of live action remake movies, with Disney’s cash-grab films and complaints of a loss of traditional charm, many fans are worried that this remake will “ruin” the original films and what made them special. Maybe it’s the soundtrack, or the heartwarming story; maybe it’s the vivid expression of the characters and comedic imagery in animated form. No matter what it is, it at least appears that DeBlois is trying to avoid these kinds of pitfalls, having directed the originals and being well aware of their appealing points. The small part of footage that has been shown as a teaser looks gorgeous, so hopes are high that this How To Train Your Dragon remix will be an example of live action done right.
