by Rosa Parra
At this year’s CinemaCon, the advanced screening featured Universal’s live-action adaptation of “How to Train Your Dragon” (2025). Dean DeBlois returns as director, having also directed the three animated films, and Gerard Butler reprises his role as Stoick, Hiccup’s father. The film stars Mason Thames as Hiccup, Nico Parker as Astrid, Nick Frost as Gueulfor, Julian Dennison as Fishlegs, and Gabriel Howell as Snotlout. Set on the island of Berk, an imminent threat endangers both Vikings and dragons. The unexpected friendship between Hiccup and Toothless, a Night Fury dragon, may hold the key to combating this threat.
We live in an era of live-action remakes, where any animated film or video game is ripe for reimagining. In this case, I’m pleased to share that this live-action remake is one of the best I’ve seen yet. We were informed that the film wasn’t entirely finished during the screening, meaning some visuals and sound still needed final touches. However, today’s screening showcased a finalized version with significantly improved visuals. There was more brightness and variety in colors compared to the earlier, darker atmosphere and color tones present at Cinemacon.
I may be mistaken, but I believe Gerard Butler is the first actor to voice a character in the animated film and then return to play the same character in the live-action version. He did an exceptional job! He looked and sounded the part flawlessly. Having the director of the animated trilogy return also helps solidify the vision of this live-action adaptation, and it’s evident that the film was handled with great care. Although this movie is essentially a shot-for-shot remake of the animated version, I believe it is aimed at those who might not typically watch animated films, as there is a common misconception that they are only for children.
Mason Thames as Hiccup is perfectly cast! I first became aware of him through “The Black Phone” (2021), where his performance impressed me with his acting potential, which is further showcased in this film. He captures a perfect balance of shyness, awkwardness, bravery, and rebelliousness. Nico Parker also delivered an impressive performance as Astrid. While presenting the film at CinemaCon, she mentioned her desire to make America Ferrera proud, who voiced Astrid in the animated films, and Parker certainly succeeded in her portrayal.
Toothless was a scene-stealer throughout the film. I fell in love with him all over again! Nick Frost’s character brought a lot of fun to the story. His comedic timing fit seamlessly into this Viking world, providing a nice balance of humor and seriousness. The supporting characters were also entertaining, and the overall storyline was delivered with great impact. It serves as a reminder that our perception of life isn’t always what it seems; there is often a deeper, more complex story behind everything we believe.
The visuals showed a massive improvement from the CinemaCon screening. The dragons had more color and personality, and the most notable enhancement was on the alpha dragon, which was gray in the first screening but now features vibrant colors. Toothless’s design is very close to the animated version, and it has been successfully adapted for a live-action remake. He fits well into this new world.
Overall, “How to Train Your Dragon” is an excellent live-action remake that retains the emotional and moving aspects of the animated film. With great performances and the iconic soundtrack, this film serves as the perfect family film and a wonderful introduction to this franchise for those who haven’t seen the animated series.
Rating: 8.5/10