“Three days. One good night’s rest. Then I’m off.”
That’s how Mason Thames described his schedule before flying to London to start shooting How to Train Your Dragon 2. The 18-year-old actor—currently seen in The Black Phone 2 and Regretting You—sounds like someone barely catching his breath between projects. But that’s the energy Universal seems to love: quick, confident, unstoppable.
This follow-up to the 2024 live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon was greenlit before the first even hit theaters, a move that proved justified when the Dean DeBlois-directed adaptation soared to a $635.9 million global haul on a $150 million budget. Universal quickly announced the sequel for June 11, 2027, aligning it with the summer blockbuster corridor once dominated by DreamWorks’ animated original.
Back to Berk — With Flesh, Blood, and Dragons
It’s strange how time folds in Hollywood. The first How to Train Your Dragon came out in 2010, a buoyant fantasy about courage and coexistence. Fourteen years later, the franchise re-emerged in live action—still poetic, still yearning, but grounded in tangible wind and stone. Dean DeBlois, who directed both the animated trilogy and the live-action remake, returns once again.
The upcoming sequel pulls from How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014), one of the most emotionally ambitious animated sequels of its decade. But now the stakes are realer—skin over scale, wind machines instead of render farms. Mason Thames reprises his role as Hiccup, joined again by Nico Parker as Astrid. Supporting cast includes Gerard Butler as Stoick the Vast, Nick Frost as Gobber, Gabriel Howell as Snotlout, Julian Dennison as Fishlegs, Brownyn James as Ruffnut, Harry Trevaldwyn as Tuffnut, and Peter Serafinowicz as Spitelout.
No dragons have been spotted yet, of course, but let’s be honest: the VFX artists are the invisible rockstars of this world.
A Quieter Kind of Excitement
When Thames spoke to Coming Soon, he couldn’t hide his nerves—“I get about three days and then I go.” There’s something charming about that exhaustion. It’s the voice of a young performer growing up between press tours and fantasy sets. You can hear the fatigue, but also the thrill: this isn’t just another gig. It’s the continuation of a modern myth that defined a generation of young dreamers.
Universal’s quick turnaround from greenlight (April 2024) to production (October 2025) signals rare studio confidence. Maybe it’s the nostalgia effect. Maybe it’s the combination of DeBlois’ vision and the enduring affection for Berk—the Viking island that became a metaphor for empathy in a world of fear.
Either way, the machinery is already in motion. The second live-action chapter will film through the winter in the UK before heading into a long post-production cycle leading up to that June 11, 2027 premiere.
Why the Dragon Still Breathes
How to Train Your Dragon endures because it’s less about taming beasts and more about finding common ground in difference. Each retelling—animated or live-action—feels like a small cultural correction to cynicism. And in an industry that thrives on nostalgia but rarely earns it, DeBlois’ saga remains oddly sincere.
Maybe that’s why people care about who plays Hiccup or when filming starts. It’s not just another fantasy property—it’s a comfort story about change, loss, and growing up twice: once as a person, and again as a franchise.
What We Know So Far About How to Train Your Dragon 2
- Filming Start: Late October 2025 in the UK
- Director: Dean DeBlois returning
- Cast: Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gerard Butler, Nick Frost, Gabriel Howell, Julian Dennison, Brownyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, Peter Serafinowicz
- Studio: Universal Pictures
- Confirmed Release Date: June 11, 2027
- Box Office of First Film: $635.9 million worldwide on a $150 million budget
What to Expect When Dragons Return
Familiar faces, real weather. The move to live action invites imperfection—mud, sweat, breath, actual gravity. That’s the point.
Continuity of spirit. DeBlois’ touch remains gentle; even amid spectacle, his stories beat with small emotional truths.
A new generation’s gateway fantasy. Thames and Parker embody the modern Hiccup-Astrid dynamic—earnest, flawed, hopeful.
Big-screen sincerity. While Hollywood chases irony, How to Train Your Dragon still believes in awe.
A long wait ahead. With post-production stretching into 2026, fans will need patience—but the early start hints that Universal intends to get it right.
FAQ
Is How to Train Your Dragon 2 a direct remake of the animated sequel?
It’s an adaptation inspired by the 2014 animated film but reshaped for live action. Expect fidelity to key story beats, but with grounded realism and subtle changes in tone.
Who’s returning behind the camera?
Dean DeBlois, the creative voice behind the original trilogy and the 2024 live-action adaptation, returns to write and direct the sequel.
Will Toothless be fully CGI again?
Yes—though with improved textures and lighting that aim to blend seamlessly with the live environments. Don’t expect a full animatronic; it’s about emotional believability, not puppetry.
When will How to Train Your Dragon 2 release?
Universal has confirmed June 11, 2027, for global release.
Why the fast production turnaround?
Universal likely wants to maintain momentum from the first film’s box-office success and keep young cast members age-appropriate for their characters.
