Everything we know about the How to Train Your Dragon remake

Would-be dragon riders prepare yourselves, because DreamWorks Animation's How to Train Your Dragon franchise is getting a live-action remake and the cast has been revealed.

The animated film franchise starred Jay Baruchel and America Ferrera and comprised of three films: the 2010 original, 2014's How to Train Your Dragon 2, and How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World that was released in 2019.

An epic fantasy, the critically acclaimed animation followed young Viking Hiccup, an aspiring dragon rider who develops a bond with Toothless, the injured dragon he helped nurse back to health.

Here is everything you need to know about the live-action remake.

When will How to Train Your Dragon be released?

The live-action remake of How To Train Your Dragon is slated to be released on 14 March, 2025. The news was announced by Universal Pictures in February 2023, with production on the movie officially starting in January 2024.

Director Dean DeBlois marked the occasion by posting a behind-the-scenes picture to his Instagram page.

The caption read: "First day of the shoot. We're all excited to get underway!"

What is How to Train Your Dragon about?

Like the animated films, the live-action remake takes its inspiration from Cressida Cowell's children's books. The coming-of-age story charts Hiccup's quest to change humanity's relationship with dragons as coming to terms with loss and finding love.

Hiccup is not the only character to go on their own journey, as the films also saw Astrid go from being a girl who didn't like dragons to bonding with one of her own. Hiccup and Astrid's love story also forms part of the story.

It is not yet clear how closely the live-action remake will be to the animated films but Dean DeBlois is expected to write and direct, and the filmmaker helmed the original trilogy.

Who will star in How to Train Your Dragon?

Mason Thames and Nico Parker will lead the cast of How to Train Your Dragon, playing Hiccup and Astrid respectively. The characters were voiced by Jay Baruchel and America Ferrara in the animated films.

Parker most recently appeared in HBO's The Last of Us, in which she played Joel Miller's daughter Sarah, while Thames has appeared in Black Phone and For All Mankind in the past.

Gerard Butler will be bringing Stoick the Vast to life in live action, having also played the character in the animated franchise.

Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz star Nick Frost has joined the project as a fellow Viking. He'll play Stoick's trusted friend Gobber The Belch. Elsewhere, Deadpool 2's Julian Dennison will play Fishlegs, Bodies star Gabriel Howell will play Snotlout, Wicked's Bronwyn James will portray Ruffnut and The Bubble's Harry Trevaldwyn will play Tuffnut.

As exclusively revealed by yours truly, British comedian Peter Serafinowicz will also appear in the movie. While specifics about his character are still under wraps, we do know that he will play a Viking - and that he's having a lot of fun doing it.

"I'm doing this film, How to Train Your Dragon," he told Yahoo. "It's the funnest thing I've ever done. I think it's amazing, if you're a fan of that [animated] film it's really f*****g great."

Is there a trailer for How to Train Your Dragon live-action?

Production on the live-action remake only began in January 2024, so there is no trailer for fans to watch yet. Keep your eyes peeled closer to the release date.

How to Train Your Dragon will be released on 14 March, 2025