If you were a fan of DreamWorks' 2010 animated film How to Train Your Dragon, rejoice because not only is the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon here, but a sequel is also on the way. (And yes, Universal loved it so much that the sequel was greenlit even before the first movie premiered.)
Directed, written, and co-produced by Dean DeBlois, who was also part of the original animated movie, the first How to Train Your Dragon live-action film was in the works since early 2023 and finally saw the light of day in 2025 after being filmed in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in early 2024.
“I decided to revisit How to Train Your Dragon because it felt like an amazing opportunity to not only direct a live-action movie but to be jumping back into a world that I frankly miss,” DeBlois said in a first-look video at the project, which you can watch below.
Ahead, we have compiled everything you need to know about the How to Train Your Dragon live-action sequel, including information on its cast, trailer, release date, and more.
What is the How to Train Your Dragon live-action film about?
The How to Train Your Dragon live-action film follows the same story as its animated counterpart, centering on the story of Hiccup and Toothless and their rare bond.
The official synopsis Universal Pictures has released for the film is as follows: “On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, the inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast, defies centuries of traditional dragon-fighting practice when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society.”
Who is in the cast of the How to Train Your Dragon live-action film?
The How to Train Your Dragon live-action film stars Mason Thames as Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III and Nico Parker as Astrid Hofferson.
Scottish veteran actor Gerard Butler plays Stoick the Vast (a.k.a. Hiccup's dad), a role he already took on in the original animated film franchise.
Additional casting includes Nick Frost as Gobber the Belch, Julian Dennison as Fishlegs Ingerman, Gabriel Howell as Snotlout Jorgenson, Wicked's Bronwyn James as Ruffnut Thorston, Harry Trevaldwyn as Tuffnut Thorston, and Teen Vogue New Hollywood alum Ruth Codd as Phlegma. Peter Serafinowicz and Game of Thrones' Murray McArthur have also joined the cast, although their roles have yet to be disclosed.
You can see how Thames and Parker reacted to their casting below, as well as a first look at others in character below:
When is the How to Train Your Dragon live-action film coming out?
The first How to Train Your Dragon live-action film was released theatrically on June 13, 2025, in the United States. The film was initially set for a March 14, 2025, release, but, like many projects, suffered delays because of the Hollywood writers' and actors' strikes.
Is there a trailer for the How to Train Your Dragon live-action film?
There is, indeed. Universal Pictures put out the first teaser trailer for the How to Train Your Dragon live-action film on November 19, 2024. In the trailer, we see Mason Thames as Hiccup confronting his dad. “Dad, I can't kill dragons,” he tells him. The next scene shows Hiccup and Toothless's first interaction.
A second, longer trailer was released on February 12, 2025. Though there is some overlap, in the trailer, we see a bit more of the conflict presented by Stoick the Vast and also get a bigger glimpse at Nico Parker as Astrid Hofferson, with more Hiccup and Toothless bonding. We also see Hiccup convincing his friends to join the dragon-loving side.
Aside from the trailers, Universal has also released a handful of pictures from the movie, which you can check out below:
Is there going to be a How to Train Your Dragon live-action sequel?
There is, indeed! The How to Train Your Dragon live-action sequel was confirmed at CinemaCon 2025 on April 2, 2025. Not many details have been shared about the sequel — given that it was greenlit months before the arrival of the first film — but Universal has already locked a June 11, 2027, release date for it.
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Director Dean DeBlois is confirmed to return for the sequel, which will adapt How to Train Your Dragon 2, the 2014 animated sequel. No casting announcements have yet been made, but watch this space.
This story will continue to be updated as more news about the How to Train Your Dragon live-action film breaks.
