Live-Action How to Train Your Dragon Trailer Reveals First Look at Hiccup and Toothless

Dreamworks has revealed the first trailer and a poster for its grand live-action How to Train Your Dragon remake ahead of its premiere June 13, 2025.

The animation company published a minute-long teaser for the reimagining of its classic fantasy tale today, showing off live-action looks at fan-favorite characters like Hiccup (Mason Thames), Chief Stoick (Gerard Butler), and, of course, Toothless the dragon. It’s a sweeping trailer that sees Thames step up as lead following his work on films like The Black Phone, while Butler can be seen in full Viking gear as he reprises the role he played in the original How to Train Your Dragon movie.

An unbreakable bond. An epic adventure. Watch the trailer now and experience #HowToTrainYourDragon in theaters June 13. #FilmedForIMAX pic.twitter.com/d5mbLW3fHw— #HowToTrainYourDragon (@HTTYDragon) November 19, 2024

The trailer mostly focuses on the island of Berk, including some of the familiar arenas and forests Hiccup will travel through throughout his journey. While so many areas from across How to Train Your Dragon lore are getting a facelift, one aspect that seems largely untouched is the designs of the dragons themselves. Quick shots of the film’s other scaly beasts show realistic versions of creatures that could fit right in with the animated source material. Toothless looks especially similar to the version fans have known for over a decade, though he is sporting a bit more detail this time around.

The live-action How to Train Your Dragon remake seems to mostly fall in line with the narrative presented in the 2010 classic while offering visuals and performances that may be grittier than fans remember. Hiccup and his relationship with Toothless will carry them through yet another adventure when the film drops in the summer.

“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,” a synopsis from Dreamworks says. “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."

Dreamworks and Universal confirmed plans to create a How to Train Your Dragon live-action remake in early 2023, promising to deliver a fresh take on the story with original co-director Dean DeBlois onboard to writer, produce, and direct. Wicked and La La Land’s Marc Platt and Drive’s Adam Siegel are also attached as producers.

The How to Train Your Dragon live-action remake swoops into theaters in June 2025. Until then, you can see some of the other live-action remakes of beloved classics that are in the works. One we’ve gotten a few recent updates for is Disney’s Lilo and Stitch remake, but there are also realistic reimaginings for beloved franchises like Moana and Rugrats on the way, too.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.

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