“Figure out which side you’re on.”

Story: On the isle of Berk, there are tribes from all over the world. Their one connection? They’re the very best at what they do. Which is dragon killing. But when young Hiccup wounds a dragon and gets to see the dragon for what it is? Hiccup changes history. But y’know, not without a few…hiccups along the way.

Genre I’d put it in: Actually Great Live-Action Remakes
Release Date: 2025
Remake, Sequel, Based-On, or Original: Based on the 2010 film of the same name, characters and story from the novel by Cressida Cowell.

Gotta say: I love Toothless. He’s my kindred spirit, my familiar, my sweet kitten-dragon baby of love. So the original How To Train Your Dragon is a particular favorite of mine. I want you to fully understand the gravity of the situation when I say that this live-action remake? This one right here? I love it more than the original film. And yes, I’m as surprised as you are. How’d this film do that? By focusing on real-life human emotion, allowing the remake to become a more realistic – dare I say grown-up – version of the story that the whole family can still enjoy wholeheartedly.

This Dragon’s onscreen actors emote better than any drawn image – and almost any voice actor – ever could. Which means this Dragon not only entertains, but gets under your skin and nestles itself into your heart. Let’s face it; as much as I adore the OG Dragon, it’s focus was on a young audience. So while there are moments in that film where things can get a little hairy, the focus is on fun, and really cool dragons that end up being big sky puppies. Here, the real-life/realistic images let things feel true-to-life, amping up viewers’ emotions.

Bravo to writer/director Dean DuBlois for taking the original animated tale and turning it into a well-crafted live action tale. There are more subtleties in this remake’s storytelling and emotional beats. Example? The scene where Hiccup first finds Toothless is more emotional, less in your face. Maybe because the human actors – and the more realistic CGI for Toothless – allows quieter moments that pack a heavier punch. The bond between Toothless and Hiccup feels even stronger here, and the character motivations are easier to understand thanks to a talented live-action cast that are allowed to emote onscreen through physicality as well as verbal emotions. Lines of spelled-out dialogue we got in the original are substituted with looks and expressions, giving interactions a more realistic feel.

The cast is packed and stacked especially in the back. As Chief Stoick the Vast, I swear Gerard Butler would have paid Universal to have taken on the role again, with the sheer joy in Butler’s eyes. Every time he’s onscreen lifts his character even higher this time around. And while Craig Ferguson did Gobbler the blacksmith proud originally, The look of Nick Frost as Gobbler is straight-up perfect casting. Do they not give out Oscars for casting? C’mon, let’s get on that, because this whole cast is top-notch. As Hiccup Mason Thames (Black Phone) had me thinking Jay Baruchel who? (All apologies to Jay the Magnificent.) Nico Parker (yes, she’s Thandiwe Newton’s daughter you clocked that correctly) is absolutely beautiful and badass as top girl in her class, Astrid. Special shout-out to one of my favorite young character actors, Julian Dennison, as Fishlegs, one of Astrid and Hiccup’s friends/allies. His take on Fishlegs is respectful of the original, yet Dennison gives the character his own deadpan comedic spin that feels original. Plus, his wee braids are hilarious.

Speaking of the cast, I swear to [RADIO EDIT] God, if I hear just one more idiot talk about how Parker “not the real Astrid”, I’m gonna go wild. 1) Latina legend America Ferrera voiced the OG Astrid, so sit down. 2) In this remake, Berk is made up of many different tribes, all gathered together from across the globe to best deal with the dragon population. So sit down twice. 3) If you’re sad because your white princess girlie isn’t Aryan-coded in this film, you’re not only a PDF, you’re a small-minded dweeb. so not only sit down, but sit and spin. I will be taking zero questions or comments about this at this time, or ever. Parker and Thames are excellent here, and do not let haters rob you of the joy you’ll get watching these two in this film.

If your budget allows, try to get yourself into an IMAX or XD viewing. The cinematography here is absolutely gorgeous, filled with lush greenery, misty valleys, and beautiful skies. The majority of the film was shot in Northern Ireland, and this Dragon is yet another reason I’d like to get up there. The score is similarly breathtaking, choosing bombastic orchestral power instead of Celtic/Icelandic folks. And as everything onscreen is more powerful here, that musical choice works extremely well.

I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for the original Dragon. It gave me one of my absolute favorite characters ever in Toothless. But now, I’ve got a live action version I can dig into when I want to pretend I’m really in Berk, instead of just longing to be. And yes, a remake of 2 is coming in 2027.

#Protip: If you’re gonna catch this at an AMC theater? You’ve gotta check out the How To Train Your Dragon sodas available at those cool “jukebox” Freestyle soda machines. “The Isle of Berk Brew features Coca-Cola Zero Lime and Peach while Night Fury Fire is made with orange-vanilla Barq’s Creme Soda.” Though gotta admit my Berk Brew felt like there was a mix of pineapple and mango in with the lime and peach. Either way, it’s a fun way to really get into the spirit. And because bringing your battle-ax into the theater is probably frowned upon.