By Pablo Barrera
Imagine a remote, wind-battered island inhabited by burly Vikings. Their main pastime, and also their greatest challenge, is... fighting dragons! Yes, on the Isle of Berk, life is defined by the constant battle against these fire-breathing beasts. But what happens when someone doesn't fit this warrior mold?
Well, that's the plot of DreamWorks' "How to Train Your Dragon" film, which is coming in live-action, 15 years after its animated version, and will premiere in theaters in June 2025. But what can we expect from this film? Let's recap a bit of the plot to discover whether the live-action version will be faithful to its original story.
The live-action film "How to Train Your Dragon" opens in theaters worldwide on June 12, 2025. The film premiered at CinemaCon on April 2, 2025, and its theatrical release is scheduled for June 13 in the United States. The sequel is expected to be released on June 11, 2027, according to Wikipedia.
Our protagonist, a teenager who defies all Viking expectations: Hiccup. Masterfully voiced by Jay Baruchel, Hiccup is scrawny, clumsy, and, to top it all off, has a rather peculiar sense of humor that doesn't fit at all with the seriousness of his tribe.
And to add more pressure to Hiccup, who do you think is the chief of the tribe? None other than his father Stoick the Vast, an imposing Viking, with the powerful voice of Gerard Butler. The relationship between father and son is tense, with Stoick expecting Hiccup to be the warrior he isn't.
The Isle of Berk is a place where bravery is measured by the number of dragons you've brought down. And Hiccup... well, Hiccup has a very different path ahead of him.
Hiccup's destiny takes an unexpected turn when he's enrolled in Dragon Training. This is his big opportunity, or so he thinks, to prove to his father and his tribe that he has what it takes to be a true Viking.
Hiccup joins a rather peculiar group of teenage Vikings. We have the brave and fierce Astrid, voiced by America Ferrera; the brutish and boastful Snotlout Jorgenson, brought to life by Jonah Hill; the highly intelligent but somewhat clumsy Fishlegs Ingerman, voiced by Christopher Mintz-Plasse; and the mischievous and chaotic twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut Thorston, played by Kristen Wiig and T.J. Miller respectively.
Together, they form an improbable team that gives us moments of laughter and, at times, great danger. Hiccup sees this as his ticket to acceptance, but what happens next will change everything he thought he knew about dragons... and about himself.
The turning point in Hiccup's story comes when he encounters an injured dragon. Not just any dragon, but one the Vikings have never seen before: a Night Fury. Instead of killing it, Hiccup discovers a curiosity and compassion that lead to an unexpected approach.
What begins as a secret relationship transforms into a deep and meaningful friendship with the dragon Hiccup names Toothless. Through their interactions, Hiccup begins to understand that dragons are not the savage beasts his people have always believed. They have intelligence, personality, and, yes, even the capacity to be friends.
This friendship forces him to question everything he's been taught. His world is turned upside down, and what began as a way to prove his worth as a warrior becomes an opportunity to change the future of his entire tribe. Hiccup has to choose between tradition and the truth he has discovered.
But "How to Train Your Dragon" is not just a heartwarming story; it's also a cinematic phenomenon. Did you know that this first film, based on Cressida Cowell's book, had a budget of USD$165 million?
The original film grossed an impressive USD$494,879,860 worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo data.
But the success didn't stop there. The entire "How to Train Your Dragon" franchise has soared high, grossing over USD$1.6 billion worldwide, becoming the eleventh highest-grossing animated franchise of all time! It's proof of the power of its story, its characters, and its incredible animation.
"How to Train Your Dragon" is much more than an adventure film. It's a story about friendship, acceptance, the courage to be different, and the power to change the perspective of an entire community. It teaches us that true strength doesn't always lie in the sword or brute force, but in understanding and connection.
But what can we expect from the live-action version of all this? According to the trailers we've seen of the film, the visual aspect of the animated version is respected, as well as the similarities with respect to the original characters, except for the character of Astrid, who in the trailers does not look much like her animated version, nor does she look tough and imposing, although we haven't seen much of her personality, we will discover if she is more faithful to the original material or if it will be a slightly more free adaptation.
At least visually, Toothless looks very similar, almost a carbon copy of his animated version. Hiccup also looks a lot like his animated version, as does Stoick. The action scenes look impressive, worthy of a film of this type. Likewise, the promotion in several countries, including Mexico, one of the key film markets, has been interesting. On June 12, this film will be released, and we will discover how faithful it is to its animated version, although we will also see if it has improved or changed some parts of the film for a better plot.
The cast of the live-action "How to Train Your Dragon" film includes Mason Thames as Hiccup, Nico Parker as Astrid, 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, Ruth Codd as Phlegma the Fierce, Peter Serafinowicz as Spitelout, and Gerard Butler reprising his role as Stoick the Vast.
This film will also be released in IMAX format, so it will be worth seeing in this format and will give a more special feeling than usual.
I don't know about you, but I'm quite excited to go see this movie, which is a family film that looks pretty fun. Seeing the impressive special effects and the whole plot will be a delight. Although I don't expect a carbon copy of the film, I do think that overall it will be a very entertaining and fun movie that the whole family can enjoy. What do you think about this? Comment and follow us on social media!
