"How to Train Your Dragon" Full Trailer: Live-Action Remake Brings Hiccup and Toothless to the Big Screen, Starring Mason Thames, Nico Parker, and Gerard Butler

Mason Thames, Nico Parker, and Gerard Butler lead this reimagining of the animated classic, directed by original filmmaker Dean DeBlois.

Back in 2010, DreamWorks Animation launched an ambitious animated adventure about Vikings and dragons—one that not only dominated the box office but also sparked a beloved franchise with its powerful themes of forgiveness, understanding, and looking beyond the demonization of others.

Fifteen years later, it feels like audiences could use a story like this again. But the question remains—are they ready for it, or even interested in seeing it retold in a new way?

Well, Universal Pictures is betting that there’s a big enough audience out there, as they join the growing trend of transforming beloved animated movies into live-action remakes. The studio has now released the full trailer for the upcoming How to Train Your Dragon, giving fans their most extensive look yet at this live-action reimagining of the modern animated classic.

And first thoughts: Once you get over the weirdness of seeing real people playing these characters you’ve only known in animated form, at times, it feels like a shot-for-shot remake. It certainly seems like they tried to stay as close to the original as possible, just with a live-action cast.

Speaking of which, Mason Thames (last seen as the kid stuck in the locked basement with a creepy Ethan Hawke in the 2021 ghostly horror thriller The Black Phone) takes on the role of Hiccup, an awkward Viking teen from a remote village of dragon-slaying Vikings. His father, Stoick the Vast, is the village chief—and for as long as anyone can remember, the Vikings have been at war with dragons. So, when Hiccup and the other youths from his clan begin their training in the long tradition of hunting and slaying dragons, he does the one thing his father forbids: he saves a dragon and sets it free. This, of course, sets Hiccup on a journey to change his people's ways—transforming them from dragon-slayers into dragon-riders.

However, the big question surrounding this live-action remake is: What does Toothless look like? How did they turn the widely expressive Night Fury dragon, with his large eyes and playful mannerisms, into a live-action creature? The quick answer: by using computers, of course!

Toothless, who becomes Hiccup’s loyal dragon companion, closely resembles his original animated design, just with a hyper-realistic CGI makeover that, at first, is a little off-putting for sure. Meanwhile, the other dragons in the film lean more into a Game of Thrones aesthetic.

Joining Mason Thames in the film is Gerard Butler, reprising his role as Hiccup’s chieftain father, Stoick the Vast—having originally voiced the character in the animated film series.

The cast also includes Nico Parker as Astrid Hofferson, 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, with Peter Serafinowicz and Murray McArthur rounding out the ensemble.

Dean DeBlois, the Oscar-nominated DreamWorks animator who helmed the original animated franchise, makes his live-action directorial debut with this remake. He also wrote the screenplay and produced the film alongside Oscar-nominated producer Marc Platt (La La Land) and Emmy-winner Adam Siegel.

How to Train Your Dragon is set to take flight in theaters on June 13. Watch the full trailer, above.

Here’s the film’s official synopsis:

From three-time Oscar® nominee and Golden Globe winner Dean DeBlois, the creative visionary behind DreamWorks Animation’s acclaimed How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, comes a stunning live-action reimagining of the film that launched the beloved franchise.

On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup (Mason Thames; The Black Phone, For All Mankind) stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler, reprising his voice role from the animated franchise), Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society. With the fierce and ambitious Astrid (BAFTA nominee Nico Parker; Dumbo, The Last of Us) and the village’s quirky blacksmith Gobber (Nick Frost; Snow White and the Huntsman, Shaun of the Dead) by his side, Hiccup confronts a world torn by fear and misunderstanding.

As an ancient threat emerges, endangering both Vikings and dragons, Hiccup’s friendship with Toothless becomes the key to forging a new future. Together, they must navigate the delicate path toward peace, soaring beyond the boundaries of their worlds and redefining what it means to be a hero and a leader.

Inspired by Cressida Cowell’s New York Times bestselling book series, DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon franchise has captivated global audiences, earning four Academy Award® nominations and grossing more than $1.6 billion at the global box-office. Now, through cutting-edge visual effects, DeBlois transforms his beloved animated saga into a breathtaking live-action spectacle, bringing the epic adventures of Hiccup and Toothless to life with jaw-dropping realism as they discover the true meaning of friendship, courage and destiny.