The 2000s belonged to The Lord of the Rings. The 2010s belonged to How to Train Your Dragon. And so, it seems, will the 2020s. DreamWorks’ beloved animated franchise has dominated the fantasy genre since the first film’s release in 2010. Now, the film series is set to officially return in 2027 with what could be its most exciting installment yet.
The live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon 2 is set to release in theaters next year. It hopes to continue the widespread success of the recent 2025 film, which adapted the events of the original How to Train Your Dragon. The continued enthusiasm surrounding the franchise proves once and for all that it is one of the greatest fantasy stories of all time.
How to Train Your Dragon Is an All-Time Great Fantasy Franchise
From its inception in 2010, How to Train Your Dragon immediately solidified itself as one of the greatest fantasy franchises of all time. It is based on the book series of the same name by Cressida Cowell, but takes a decidedly unique approach to the story of Hiccup, a young Viking boy who befriends a rare Nightfury dragon named Toothless.
From an animation perspective, How to Train Your Dragon is nothing short of spectacular. The films are vibrant and colorful, immersing audiences in a world that feels familiar, yet unmistakably elevated from their own. Each of the original three films boasts significant technological advancements, always pushing the boundaries of what could be considered possible in animation.
The trilogy also has a deep, emotionally resonant story that everyone can relate to. At its core, How to Train Your Dragon is a story about friendship, as Hiccup and Toothless unite their two opposing worlds through their bond. Viewers get to follow the pair from their first meeting all the way until they finally part ways, and therefore feel as though they are just as much a part of the friendship as the boy and his dragon.
Of course, no one can discuss How to Train Your Dragon without lauding its musical score. Composed by John Powell, the trilogy has one of the most exhilarating and beautiful soundtracks of any film franchise in history. Fans are particularly fond of “Test Drive,” which plays during Hiccup and Toothless’s first flight together. Powell crafts a dynamic and moving score that manages to capture action scenes just as well as it does the quieter moments.
How to Train Your Dragon is beloved in all moviegoing circles. The lowest Rotten Tomatoes score for the original trilogy is a lofty 90%, which is excellent by any metric. All three were massively successful at the box office, forging a legacy for the fantasy franchise that kept it alive years after it finally concluded its story in 2019 with How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World.
How to Train Your Dragon Is One of the Best Live-Action Reboots Ever Made
While many cinephiles have grown inexpressibly frustrated with Hollywood’s live-action reboot fixation, How to Train Your Dragon somehow manages to avoid many of the major concerns with the ever-present trend. A live-action remake of the original film came out in 2025, starring Mason Thames as Hiccup. Much to everyone’s surprise, the film was almost as well-received as the original.
2025’s How to Train Your Dragon has an impressive 79% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, but it is the fan reaction that is even more noteworthy. The Popcornmeter for the live-action remake is a staggering 97%, making it the highest-rated audience score of the entire franchise. This indicates that audiences are wholly behind this live-action reboot, even when they have grown bored with similar films from Disney.
Part of the live-action How to Train Your Dragon‘s success may stem from its faithfulness to the original. Rather than making arbitrary changes, the reboot looks for areas to deepen the franchise’s lore or fill in plot holes that the original filmmakers didn’t notice. The remake also notably brings back Dean DeBlos, who co-directed the original movies. This gives the franchise a steady creative hand throughout both its live-action and animated offerings.
The live-action How to Train Your Dragon unsurprisingly became the highest-grossing film in the franchise. Against a budget of $150 million, the film earned $636 million at the worldwide box office. Not only did it appeal to fans of the original, but it also earned the admiration of younger generations who were born after the trilogy’s conclusion. This sets the franchise up for a long and exciting future ahead as it looks to what comes next.
What Comes Next For How to Train Your Dragon?
The original How to Train Your Dragon trilogy may be finished, but the franchise is far from it. Universal recently opened a new theme park that heavily features characters and settings from the beloved film franchise, including Hiccup cosplayers and life-size animatronic dragons. The best way that the studio can market this new attraction is by keeping How to Train Your Dragon visible in the cinema scene… and that means more movies.
After the $600 million success of 2025’s live-action remake, the rebooted franchise will continue to adapt the events of the original trilogy. Next on the list is How to Train Your Dragon 2, one of the most action-packed and ambitious entries of the first three movies. The sequel hits theaters on June 11, 2027, just under a year away from today. Dean DeBlois has been confirmed to be returning as director of the upcoming project.
Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gerard Butler, and the rest of the main cast are all confirmed to return, alongside newcomers like Phil Dunster as Eret (son of Eret) and Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as the villainous Drago Bludvist. Cate Blanchett is also set to reprise her role as Valka after previously voicing the character in the animated films.
Given the widespread success of the first film and the general excitement for a sequel, it seems very likely that How to Train Your Dragon 2 will perform well at the box office. This practically guarantees that DreamWorks will greenlight a live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, thereby completing the new trilogy.
It is unclear whether there can possibly be more How to Train Your Dragon movies after this, however. Given The Hidden World‘s ending, it seems unlikely that the story of Hiccup and Toothless would ever continue in a direct sequel. Nevertheless, the franchise’s continued popularity after sixteen years makes anything possible. There may be plenty more adventures starring the Riders of Berk on the horizon.
How to Train Your Dragon remains one of the greatest fantasy film franchises of all time, and it still has plenty of life left in it. Audiences are ecstatic to return to the Isle of Berk yet again in the upcoming remake of How to Train Your Dragon 2, which is drawing nearer by the day.
The live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon 2 hits theaters on June 11, 2027.
The original How to Train Your Dragon trilogy and the 2025 live-action remake are available to stream on Peacock.
- Created by
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Cressida Cowell
- Movie(s)
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How to Train Your Dragon, How to Train Your Dragon 2, How to Train Your Dragon 3