The trailer for the live-action How to Train Your Dragon is now out, and it teases the performances from the actors and the CG for the dragons including Toothless. Nerd Reactor was invited to a sneak peek presentation with director/writer Dean DeBlois, who directed all three of the animated films. We were lucky to see different scenes coming to life including the young Vikings participating in dragon training, Hiccup and Toothless flying for the first time together, and Hiccup trying to show the clan that dragons can be trained. It was a taste of things to come, and we are hopeful the film will excite old and new fans.
The one sequence I want to mention is how the live-action take on Hiccup and Toothless’ first flight was breathtaking. I felt emotional with how it was brought to life as we saw the rush and beauty of the two friends flying in the sky. Some of the scenes’ CGI wasn’t finished yet, but it made me excited to see the full version.
Dean DeBlois on Why He’s Making a Live-Action How to Train Your Dragon
Since this is a live-action film adapted from a classic animated film, some critics have voiced their concerns. And yes, the director knows about their concerns and has something to say about that.
“There are always going to be people who are like, ‘I boycott this,’ you know,” DeBlois tells a group of us during the reception. “They can watch the animated movie, but I also think that we are making it with a lot of love and a lot of respect for what the animated movies are. Not to replace those animated movies, because I’m proud of them. But I also think there’s room to play with it a little bit and expand it and enrich some of those relationships in the way that live actors can do when you put a camera on them, and if you get the right chemistry.”
DeBlois on Capturing Iconic Scenes
The film will have new and expanded scenes while also adapting iconic scenes from the animated film. These include the forbidden friendship where Hiccup and Toothless are drawing in the sand and they touch for the first time, flying together for the first time, and more.
“We very carefully tried to mimic with the live-action crew in our set and our camera tried to mimic those scenes almost shot for shot, knowing that we’re going to use John Powell’s music through that,” DeBlois replied to Nerd Reactor about bringing the iconic scenes to life.” Because we thought that would be a neat way to kind of honor what came before and sort of acknowledge the fans. We deliberately were very close in terms of shot for shot.”
DeBlois described a new scene involving Stoic and the dragon’s nest.
“In other places, we just expand,” the director said. “We kind of take a scene into a place that was never there. One example would be when Stoic first ventures into the fog, looking for the nest. In the animated movie, the ship literally goes into the fog and there’s a flash and a dragon silhouette and the scene’s over. In this movie, we can indulge that.
“And so we play into the mystery that we go into the fog with them. We can hear the dragons around us, they slowly attack and you get to rachet up the peril and the seriousness of Stoic’s purpose. As Hiccup is befriending dragons and he’s telling the audience essentially, ‘Oh, they’re just all misunderstood and they’re just big pets,’ we also remind them they’re dangerous as ****.”
About How to Train Your Dragon
Synopsis: On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup (Mason Thames; The Black Phone) stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler, reprising his voice role from the animated franchise), 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.
Genre: Epic Action-Adventure
The film was written and directed by Dean DeBlois. It stars Mason Thames (The Black Phone), Gerard Butler (300, How to Train Your Dragon), Nico Parker (HBO’s The Last of Us), Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead), Julian Dennison (Deadpool 2), Gabriel Howell (Nightsleeper), Bronwyn James (Wicked), Harry Trevaldwyn (The Acolyte), Ruth Codd (Netflix’s The Fall of the House of Usher), Peter Serafinowicz (The Guardians of the Galaxy) and Murray McArthur (The Northman).
How to Train Your Dragon flies into theaters on June 13, 2025.
