Film: How to Train your Dragon [2025] – Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gerard Butler

The live action remake of How to Train your Dragon lives up to the expectations from the animation, and almost crosses them.

Starring Mason Thames, Nico Parker & Gerard Butler, the live action remake is almost scene by scene a copy of its animated counterpart. It doesn’t surpass the original, but it respects it, honors it, and delivers cinematic magic where it counts.

Now let’s be honest. Live action remakes don’t have the best track record. However, no one who loves the original film is going to be too wounded by anything they see in this remake. This is not Snow White. It’s missing some of the snappiness and punch of 2010, but it also has plenty of likeable moments of its own.

The new actors are terrific choices, but I was especially tickled to see Butler fully embracing the blowhard energy of Stoick and actually look like he’s having a good time making a movie…It took me a couple of minutes to even figure out it’s Gerard Butler, and that’s a good thing considering that he has been playing himself for over ten years now. Even better. Toothless is magnificent in live-action. Every scale glimmers, every muscle moves, and the franchise’s beloved dragon’s signature expressiveness shines through every scene.

Yes, this remake is visually stunning. There’s no question about it. But it’s creatively a very timid remake that plays the hits perfectly, without daring to improvise. It’s like Universal engineered this remake to be good, without taking any risks, with the clear intention of having their own Harry Potter, or Game of Thrones (minus the incest).

Should You Watch It?

No one asked for another live action, but I’m certainly happy with the outcome. Hopefully the quality stays this good moving forward.

Where Can I Watch It?

How to Train your Dragon is now playing in theaters.