The How to Train Your Dragon franchise is one of the most successful in all of Dreamworks Animation, earning Oscar nominations and big box office since 2010. With the animated movies wrapped up, Dreamworks and Universal Pictures have found a new way to keep it alive with a live-action remake they hope will introduce Hiccup and Toothless to a new generation.
Behind this new take is longtime franchise writer/director Dean DeBlois, and it’s basically a shot-for-shot remake done in live-action. I would’ve chosen a different director to at least give it a different look and energy, but what do I know?
Based on the books by Cressida Cowell, How to Train Your Dragon follows Hiccup, son of a Viking chief, who befriends the lost dragon Toothless at at time when Vikings and dragons are bitter enemies.
Starring in the film are Mason Thames as Hiccup, Nico Parker as Astrid, and Gerard Butler who now gets to fully embody his voice role of Stoick the Vast. Also in the cast are Nick Frost, Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, Ruth Codd, Peter Serafinowicz, and Murray McArthur.
SYNOPSIS: “On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast, Hiccup defies centuries of tradition 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. With the fierce and ambitious Astrid and the village’s quirky blacksmith Gobber by his side, Hiccup confronts a world torn by fear and misunderstanding. As an ancient threat emerges, endangering both Vikings and dragons, Hiccup’s friendship with Toothless becomes the key to forging a new future. Together, they must navigate the delicate path toward peace, soaring beyond the boundaries of their worlds and redefining what it means to be a hero and a leader.”
How to Train Your Dragon hits theaters on June 13th.
