Fans eagerly awaiting the live-action How to Train Your Dragon adaptation got an exciting sneak peek during a recent behind-the-scenes interview with Gerard Butler, Mason Thames and Nico Parker at Epic Universe, as they celebrated the opening of the theme park's take on the Isle of Berk.
Gerard Butler, returning to portray Stoick the Vast, shared his excitement about stepping back into the role—this time in the flesh. “To be in that cinematic world, it’s incredible,” he said, revealing that his costume, complete with props, weighed a staggering 90 pounds. Despite the physical demands, Butler seemed thrilled to bring even more depth to the character he voiced in the original trilogy.
Co-stars Mason Thames and Nico Parker also spoke about the importance of honoring the spirit of the beloved animated films. Their collective hope is that the live-action version will inspire a new generation of children with the same sense of awe and adventure that captivated audiences over a decade ago.
With its promise of stunning visuals and emotional storytelling, the live-action How to Train Your Dragon is shaping up to be a powerful reimagining—and fans have every reason to be excited for its theatrical debut.
The film will arrive in North American theaters on June 13.
How To Train Your Dragon stars Mason Thames (The Black Phone) as Hiccup. Astrid will be played by Nico Parker (daughter of Thandie Newton), who played Sarah Miller in The Last of Us.
Gerard Butler, who previously voiced Stoick the Vast in the How To Train Your Dragon animated film series will be reprising the role for the live-action remake.
Additional cast include Nick Frost as Gobber the Belch, Julian Dennison as Fishlegs Ingerman, Gabriel Howell as Snotlout Jorgenson, Bronwyn James as Ruffnut Thorston, Harry Trevaldwyn as Tuffnut Thorston, and Ruth Codd as Phlegma.
The live-action remake is currently slated to bow in theaters, June 13, 2025. Due to this Summer's SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike, the film was delayed from its original March 14, 2025 release date.
Currently, Disney Pixar's Elio is set to also be released on June 13, 2025. Not too long after, Superman: Legacy hits theaters on July 11, 2025, meaning that the live-action HTTYD film will need to quickly make its budget back at the box office.
The film franchise, which has grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide to date, is based on Cressida Cowell's award-winning children's book series.
How To Train Your Dragon Official Synopsis: A winning mixture of adventure, slapstick comedy, and friendship, How to Train Your Dragon rivals Kung Fu Panda as the most engaging and satisfying film DreamWorks Animation has produced. Hiccup (voice by Jay Baruchel) is a failure as a Viking: skinny, inquisitive, and inventive, he asks questions and tries out unsuccessful contraptions when he's supposed to be fighting the dragons that attack his village.
His father, chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler), has pretty much given up on his teenage son and apprenticed him to blacksmith Gobber (Craig Ferguson). Worse, Hiccup knows the village loser hasn't a chance of impressing Astrid (America Ferrera), the girl of his dreams and a formidable dragon fighter in her own right. When one of Hiccup's inventions actually works, he hasn't the heart to kill the young dragon he's brought down. He names it Toothless and befriends it, although he's been taught to fear and loathe dragons.