Expressnews
Chennai, 22nd May 2025: Universal Pictures (distributed by Warner Bros. Discovery) is set to rekindle the magic of a generation as How to Train Your Dragon returns to theatreson June 13, 2025—this time in a breathtaking live-action adaptation. The film will be released in 4 languages – English, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. Directed by Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe-winning filmmaker Dean DeBlois, the film reimagines the beloved animated saga that captured hearts worldwide. Leading the cast are Mason Thames as the courageous young Viking Hiccup, Nico Parker as the fearless Astrid, and Gerard Butler, reprising his iconic role as Stoick the Vast. They’re joined by a stellar ensemble including Nick Frost, Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, Ruth Codd, Peter Serafinowicz, and Murray McArthur.
Set in the dragon-besieged Viking village of Berk, the story follows Hiccup, an inventive outcast navigating the expectations of being the son of the formidable Chief. When he defies tradition by sparing and befriending a wounded dragon—Toothless—Hiccup sparks a bond that defies fear, redefines strength, and sets the stage for unity between species long at odds.
Long before dragons took flight on screen, the heart of How to Train Your Dragon was born from one author’s vivid childhood spent, where Director Dean Deblois shares “For author Cowell, the story’s roots are surprisingly personal. It’s funny to say, but How to Train Your Dragon is largely autobiographical,”
Cowell shares. “The Isle of Berk is based on a real place. As a child, my family spent summers on an uninhabited island off the west coast of Scotland. There were no roads, no electricity—just wilderness—so we’d spend weeks exploring the island, catching fish and climbing cliffs. This part of Scotland was the first place the Vikings landed when they invaded Britain, and it was the last place they left. They believed dragons were real, and growing up surrounded by that history and isolation, I couldn’t help but imagine dragons flying overhead or Viking ships appearing on the horizon.”
With its powerful themes of nostalgia, empathy, courage, and transformation, the film invites both loyal fans and new audiences to experience the wonder anew—this time, in a whole new light.
