How to Train Your Dragon gets a live-action adaptation, out March 2025

How to Train Your Dragon gets a live adaptation. According to a new report, Universal Pictures has officially greenlighted the project and is targeting a theatrical release on March 14, 2025. Dean DeBlois, who directed the original Oscar-nominated animated films, is returning to write, direct and produce the live action version. Marking his first live-action feature, the film will adapt the plot of the animated films, rather than continuing the arc. It would also be unique in that the same director who worked on an animated version was brought in for a live-action remake.

According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, sources say the casting process is already underway. As one of DreamWorks Animation’s most prized possessions, How to Train Your Dragon follows the adventures of a misfit aspiring dragon slayer, Hiccup, who eventually befriends an injured dragon whom he calls Toothless and discovers the nature of the majestic creature. Based on the books by author Cressida Cowell, the first film earned $494.9 million (about Rs 4,090 crore) at the global box office and won critical acclaim upon release. The 2014 sequel, How to Train Your Dragon 2, brought the main characters back to adulthood as they embark on a new mission to search for Hiccup’s mother. It grossed $618.9 million (5,114 crores) worldwide.

How to Train your Dragon: The Hidden World capped off the trilogy with a new adventure that saw Hiccup and Toothless take on Grimmel the Grisley, a hired dragon hunter. Against a production budget of $129 million (approx. Rs. 1,066 crore), the third film in the trilogy earned $521.8 million (approx. Rs. 4,311 crore). All three Dragon films were nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars, with Jay Baruchel (Tropic Thunder) voicing Hiccup. While Universal Pictures seems overwhelmingly confident about the film to the point of already dropping a release date, competitor Disney’s past live-action remakes have proven fruitless, in part due to unrealistic CGI.

Jon Favreau, who directed the 2019 live-action adaptation of The Lion King, was so determined to make the beasts look realistic that the end result seemed lifeless – the animals’ faces didn’t express an ounce of emotion compared to the original 2D version from 1997. Unless they weren’t able to strike the right balance between making the dragons attractive and friendly while maintaining realism seems like a big risk for Universal. “The studio worked hard trying to find the right and acceptable budget for several months before finally greenlighting the project,” the report adds. At this time, it’s unclear if Universal plans to make live-action adaptations of its other DreamWorks projects, with Shrek especially looking like a strong candidate for a future live-action adaptation.

The live-action How to Train Your Dragon movie hits theaters on March 14, 2025.