‘How to Train Your Dragon’ live-action remake is a fan-pleaser | Movie review
I have a few gripes with the live-action “How to Train Your Dragon” remake, but ultimately, it’s as perfect as a retelling can be.
The original “How to Train Your Dragon” is easily one of my top 10 favorite movies of all time. I vividly remember reading the book, which is nothing like the movie, and begging my parents to take me to see it in theaters when it was released in 2010. I also remember my entire family walking out of the theater saying, “That was one of the best animated movies I’ve ever seen.” We said the same thing again when the second and third films in the series came out. So, yes, my expectations were pretty high going into the live-action retelling of How to Train Your Dragon — and for the most part, it lived up to the hype.
Truly, the core of this movie is the same. If you ever called another movie a “shot-for-shot” remake, “How to Train Your Dragon” (2025) will make that movie seem like a completely different adaptation. Aside from 20ish minutes of extra runtime, which is just added dialogue to familiar scenes, the film is exactly the same. To me, this is the way all remakes should be.
I understand if you want to add something new to the story and make it its own thing. If you are going to go down that route, commit. Don’t make it half shot-for-shot and half something completely different. While I feel that a retelling like the “How to Train Your Dragon” live-action remake is the best route to go, I do feel that when a retelling is so similar, it makes even the smallest difference stand out, which at times can take you out of the movie.
The biggest thing I found taking me out of “How to Train Your Dragon” (2025) is some of the casting. This doesn’t have to do with the actors themselves; it has more to do with me being so familiar with these characters, especially their voices. I won’t directly say what character took a while for me to get used to, but it took about 20 minutes for my brain to accept this minor difference. On the other end of that, the best casting decision Universal made was bringing back Gerald Butler as Stoick. Not only does his voice exactly match the voice he used for the animated films, but his commitment and care for the character also shine through, easily making Stoick one of Butler’s most iconic roles. Weirdly, my wife and I both think that had they not brought him back, it would’ve hurt the movie drastically.
I don’t have much else to say — the CGI is impressive, the return of John Powell and his iconic score is breathtaking, and the thought of the “How to Train Your Dragon” franchise continuing to grow genuinely excites me. I know there are still a lot of people who haven’t seen the original films (which should be a crime), and with a new theme park area dedicated to the franchise, along with the launch of the live-action movie, the synergy surrounding “How to Train Your Dragon” is truly palpable.
SCORE: “How to Train Your Dragon” (2025), 4/5
“How to Train Your Dragon” (2025) is rated PG and is in theaters June 13! There is no post-credit scene.
In the parks
Looking to emerge yourself in the world of “How to Train Your Dragon”? Head out to Orlando’s newest theme park, Epic Universe, and visit How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, a land themed to the iconic Viking village from the films and consisting of four attractions, including a stage show.
Check out our full land tour of Isle of Berk:
Some photo-ops and décor celebrating the live-action “How to Train Your Dragon” remake also now appear in Universal Islands of Adventure.
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