How to Train Your Dragon
The animated classic, reimagined in live-action
As an ancient threat endangers both Vikings and dragons alike on the isle of Berk, the friendship between an unlikely duo will change their fates forever, in this live-action reimagining.
Director
Dean DeBlois
Studio
Universal Pictures / DreamWorks
Release
June 13, 2025
Runtime
125 min
Genres
Action, Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Box office
$636.4 million worldwide
Cast & Characters
Hiccup
Mason Thames
Astrid
Nico Parker
↔ Hiccup
Stoick
Gerard Butler
↔ Hiccup
Gobber
Nick Frost
Did You Know?
Dean DeBlois, who directed the original 2010 animated trilogy, returns to direct this live-action remake.
Source: DreamWorks announcement · verified 2026-07-29
Gerard Butler reprises his role as Stoick, having voiced the character in all three animated films.
Source: Cast announcement · verified 2026-07-29
Critical Assessment
How to Train Your Dragon holds a 7.7/10 on IMDb (131,570 votes), a 61/100 on Metacritic, and a 78% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes — one of the stronger-reviewed live-action animated remakes of recent years.
“A rare live-action remake that justifies its own existence.” — IGN “Thames makes for a compelling, vulnerable Hiccup.” — Collider
This adaptation bucks the usual live-action-remake critical skepticism, with a 78% RT score well above genre peers like Lilo & Stitch — likely helped by DeBlois' direct creative continuity from the original trilogy.
Ratings as of 2026-07-29
AI Verdict
AI-generatedHow to Train Your Dragon's 78% RT score sets it apart from 2025's other live-action remakes — having the original director return clearly mattered to critics and audiences alike.