“You have something none of us have…”
And apparently, it's the guts to remake a perfect animated film in an era addicted to live-action nostalgia.
Universal's final IMAX trailer for How to Train Your Dragon (2025) just dropped like a flaming Night Fury into the summer blockbuster ring—and it's already making waves. Not because it breaks the mold. But because it refuses to.
Let's be clear: the trailer is a visual stunner. From sweeping Berk landscapes to fiery dragon mid-air ballets, the film clearly flexes its “Filmed for IMAX” muscles. Dean DeBlois, back in the director's seat after helming the original trilogy, ensures that every shot feels handcrafted. Mason Thames' Hiccup carries the right mix of teen vulnerability and rebel spark. And yes, Toothless still has the same puppy-dinosaur charm that made millennials cry into their popcorn back in 2010.
But here's the uncomfortable truth: shot-for-shot remakes are cinematic déjà vu. And this one's starting to feel more like a photocopy than a fresh flight.
What's Missing? Risk.
There's a moment in the trailer—Hiccup reaching out to Toothless—that mirrors the original frame-for-frame. The score swells. We're supposed to feel something. But we've already felt it. In 2010. In Dolby. In 3D. What was once an act of radical empathy—befriending the beast—is now a marketing loop.
Like Disney's The Lion King (2019), which grossed over $1.6B globally despite critics calling it a “beautiful but soulless retread,” this adaptation risks emotional disconnection by overplaying fidelity. That film's photorealistic animation couldn't replicate the expressive magic of hand-drawn Simba. Similarly, no matter how good Thames is, his Hiccup has to live in the shadow of Jay Baruchel's distinct vocal performance and the legacy of an animated icon.
The Industry Pattern: Nostalgia as a Business Model
The live-action boom follows a familiar formula: beloved IP + modern tech + minimal narrative risk = easy box office. Beauty and the Beast (2017), Aladdin (2019), and The Little Mermaid (2023) all made bank despite mixed critical reception. The formula's profitable. But it's not innovative.
Still, How to Train Your Dragon isn't Disney. And Dean DeBlois isn't phoning it in. Early CinemaCon reactions praised the emotional beats and IMAX spectacle. What separates this from the others is intent: the trailer doesn't just want to remind us of the original—it wants to reignite it. Which raises the stakes. And the pressure.
Soaring or Sinking?
If the live-action HTTYD soars, it'll be because it manages to use its nostalgia as scaffolding—not a crutch. The chemistry between Thames and Toothless will need to feel new. Astrid (played by The Last of Us breakout Nico Parker) must bring more than just a love interest arc. And the world-building has to justify its own existence—preferably without recycling every major plot beat from the animated film.
And if it fails? Well, even the dragons can't save a movie that forgot how to fly on its own.
Final Thought
You'll either love this or hate it. Here's why: If you grew up with the animated trilogy, this might be the cinematic comfort food you crave. But if you're hoping for something new—a different flight path—you might walk out feeling grounded.
Header Image Suggestion:
A split-screen of 2010's animated Hiccup reaching out to Toothless vs. 2025's live-action version, showing visual fidelity and emotional contrast.
