Disney isn’t the only studio looking to their animation catalog for live-action inspiration. Universal is adapting DreamWorks Animation’s popular How to Train Your Dragon as a live-action movie (via Deadline). Director Dean DeBlois, who helmed the three How to Train Your Dragon animated films, will write, direct, and produce the live-action version. The adaptation already has a release date, too: March 14, 2025. That’s just about 15 years after the animated film premiered. According to The Hollywood Reporter, How to Train Your Dragon has found its human riders as well with Mason Thames and Nico Parker starring as Hiccup and Astrid, respectively. Thames’ recent turn in The Black Phone and Parker’s short yet pivotal role as Joel’s daughter Sarah in The Last of Us make them familiar faces to audiences.
How to Train Dragon released in the United States on March 26, 2010. The film, which DeBlois co-directed with Chris Sanders, tells the story of a young Viking named Hiccup. Based on the book of the same name by Cressida Cowell, we watch as Hiccup meets Toothless the dragon and decides to help him instead of hunt him. Subsequent films in the trilogy further explore the relationship between the Vikings and the dragons, as well as Hiccup and Toothless’ bond.
The How to Train Your Dragon adaptation will mark DeBlois’ live-action directing debut. We don’t know yet if Universal has further plans to adapt the entire trilogy.