The How To Train Your Dragon trilogy was an Oscar-nominated series that focused on a young Viking boy named Hiccup who formed a bond with an injured dragon called Toothless.
Universal is now set to adapt the original trilogy into a live-action film. They’ve enlisted original trilogy director Dean DeBlois to write, direct and produce the movie.
The Story
The How To Train Your Dragon franchise, based on Cressida Cowell’s children’s book series, is one of the most beloved animated films in history. Its Oscar-nominated trilogy of films has garnered a loyal following, making more than $1.6 billion at the box office since 2010.
The studio is moving ahead with a live-action adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon with Dean DeBlois writing and directing the film. Universal has tapped a veteran producer, Marc Platt (La La Land, Bridge of Spies), to oversee the project alongside Universal’s Lexi Barta.
The film will be based on the book series by Cowell and follows the adventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (Jay Baruchel), son of the Viking leader Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler). He wants to become a fearless dragon slayer and captures a Night Fury dragon named Toothless, who helps him learn about dragons’ unique characteristics. The dragon and Hiccup develop a special friendship.
The Cast
How To Train Your Dragon is a children’s series of books written by British author Cressida Cowell. The books are set in a mythical mediaeval world populated by Vikings and dragons. It follows a misfit Viking teen named Hiccup as he befriends an injured dragon, who he names Toothless.
The three How To Train Your Dragon films released in the 2010s by DreamWorks Animation were a huge success. All three earned Academy Award nominations and raked in more than $1.6 billion at the box office.
Now, a live-action adaptation is coming to Universal. It’s slated to come out in March 2025, and it’ll be directed by Dean DeBlois, the writer and director of all three of the DreamWorks animated films.
It’s a huge deal that DeBlois will be directing the live-action version of How To Train Your Dragon, as this is his first live-action directorial project. Veteran musical-to-live-action producer Marc Platt will be helping DeBlois make the transition to a new medium.
The Production
The original How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, based on Cressida Cowell’s books of the same name, has been one of the most beloved animated films of all time. It was a huge hit at the box office and received praise from critics often unheard of for a non-Pixar property.
Hiccup and Toothless, the two main characters in the series, are misfit Viking teenagers who are determined to make their village of Berk a place where dragons and Vikings live together in harmony. As the series goes on, Hiccup is able to become a good leader and help Berk shift from being a Viking world that feared dragons to one where they are valued for their strength.
The live-action adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon is currently in development at Universal Pictures, according to Variety and THR. It will be directed by Dean DeBlois, who previously directed the original animated trilogy. He will also be producing with Marc Platt, who has a few big live-action projects on his slate including upcoming adaptations of La La Land and Wicked.
The Release Date
For fans of the How To Train Your Dragon animated series, there’s good news: The popular franchise is getting a live-action adaptation! Universal is putting the project into development, and original trilogy writer/director Dean DeBlois has signed on to write, direct, and produce it.
The original How To Train Your Dragon was a blockbuster hit, with all three films earning over $1.6 billion at the box office and earning a number of Oscar nominations. It’s a coming-of-age story about the growth of Hiccup and Toothless, and is a high fantasy adventure that’s perfect for all ages.
How To Train Your Dragon has become an instant classic, and with DeBlois at the helm, the live-action adaptation is sure to be just as exciting and entertaining. The creative challenge for the filmmakers will be finding a balance between making the dragons appealing and friendly, like they were in the animated movies, while also being realistic enough to fit into a high-flying, live-action film.