Table of Contents
The first live action remake from the powerhouse animation studio proves to stand out among others and be an enjoyable time at the theater
Despite the original ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ animated feature releasing a little over a decade ago, and its final sequel coming out in 2019, there was nothing more logical for Dreamworks to do than to create a live action remake of the first entry in the series. A $150 million one. The budget really doesn’t matter when you have a dedicated fan base of Millennials and GenZers, an original trilogy that grossed over $1.6 billion, and general audiences that seem to fall in line and go to the theater when a beloved animated film is remade into live action, no matter the quality. The ‘Lilo and Stitch’ remake has already grossed over $800 million, so what’s stopping studios from just remaking original, heartfelt animation into standardized live action and making boatloads of money?
Things to do:
- Subscribe to The Hollywood Insider’s YouTube Channel, by clicking here.
- Limited Time Offer – FREE Subscription to The Hollywood Insider
- Click here to read more on The Hollywood Insider’s vision, values and mission statement here – Media has the responsibility to better our world – The Hollywood Insider fully focuses on substance and meaningful entertainment, against gossip and scandal, by combining entertainment, education, and philanthropy.
A Dedicated Remake
‘How to Train Your Dragon’ is a near shot-for-shot remake of the animated film, with some truly beautiful sequences matched with a powerful score. Dean Deblois, director of the original trilogy, and funny enough, co-director of the original ‘Lilo and Stitch’ (2002), stated that he would only return to direct the remake if he had full creative control over the project. Without this creative control, ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ would be miles worse and probably not even be close to good. I’m happy to report Deblois’s debut in live action filmmaking defies expectations and marks arguably the greatest remake we have seen since they first hit theaters in 2010 with ‘Alice in Wonderland’.
‘How to Train Your Dragon’ follows Hiccup (Mason Thames), a young Viking, clearly not gifted in any aspect of the typical viking life, which involves slaying dragons that periodically attack their village on the Isle of Berk and ravage their homes and animals. He is trying to find his calling and garner his father’s approval while simultaneously trying to impress Astrid (Nico Parker), a rough around the edges dragon-fighter-in-training. Oh, and she’s also very much out of his league, something he is well aware of. His father, Stoick the Vast, portrayed by Gerard Butler in both the animated film and remake, is disappointed in Hiccup because he won’t live up to his heroic dragon-slaying ways, and he doesn’t hide it. Hiccup can’t seem to do anything right, whether it be getting the troops ready for battle, assisting the half-human, half-made-of-wood blacksmith, Gobber the Belch (Nick Frost), or just staying out of everyone’s way without making himself look like a fool.
WATCH THE TRAILER of the Film and the Revolution: ‘Can I Go Home Now?’
The Children Around the World Continue to Ask the question
Hiccup’s first real journey in life starts after he shoots down a Night Fury, (who we know as Toothless) one of the dragons the residents of Berk fear the most. He thinks that if he can prove to his father, maybe to the whole village that he can kill a dragon like that, they will respect him. Making direct eye contact with the seemingly injured, extremely cute Toothless rattles Hiccup his core. He can’t kill this dragon. He can’t kill any dragon. Instead, he cuts Toothless free, almost immediately getting pounced on by him. Shockingly enough, this so-called beast doesn’t kill Hiccup, only really snarling at him before trying to fly away.
Hiccup is intrigued by his interaction with Toothless and sneaks out to find him again, trying to understand him, maybe even befriend him. This leads to one of the more beautiful sequences of the movie, maybe in any live action remake, where Hiccup touches Toothless for the first time while he extends out his arm, and the music adds a whole other element to it. It quite frankly blew me away. It’s impressive that they were able to translate this scene almost perfectly into live action, especially considering how magical the animated sequence is. After this interaction, the Hiccup’s real journey with Toothless begins, and we are just lucky enough to join them for the ride.
Related article: – Want GUARANTEED SUCCESS? Remove these ten words from your vocabulary| Transform your life INSTANTLY
Related article: Box Office Breakouts: The 2025 Films Dominating Theaters – Hollywood Insider
Does Everything Work in Live Action?
Despite some concerns with how he may look next to humans, the design of Toothless is nothing short of impeccable. His smile, his black, scaly skin, and even the way he looked when soaring through the sky, shooting plasma blasts. Some of the dragons that appear were actually puppets, manned by crew members, while others were CGI, which is a neat touch. It also doesn’t hurt when you have an experienced cinematographer in Bill Pope (‘The Matrix’) shooting your movie, giving it some extra visual flare.
Seeing Gerard Butler dressed up as Stoick was incredibly entertaining and worth a trip to the theater alone, and he is absolutely lights out in this, as does the rest of the cast. Each of them felt like their animated counterparts, despite most of them being different actors. The costumes of the Vikings were unique, and it felt like we were actually transported to Berk, for the production design was top notch, and it didn’t feel like I was just staring at a green screen or some bland set in a studio backlot throughout the entirety of the runtime.
Related article: EVOLUTION: Every Ryan Gosling Role From 1995 to 2020, All Performances Exceptionally Poignant
Related article: EVOLUTION: Every Henry Cavill Role From 2001 to 2021, All Performances Exceptionally Poignant
One of the only issues that stands out are the nighttime scenes. They are devoid of the color the animated films contain, and yes, it’s hard to exactly replicate that in live action, but the audience should be able to see most of what is going on in the scene. Movies used to have a blue tint to them at night, and that seems to be a lost art in the modern, digital era.
Do Live Action Remakes Always Deliver?
Ever since Disney realized the gold mine they were sitting on with remakes, it felt like we were getting one every year, and it still feels that way… fifteen years later. Now, with Dreamworks throwing their chips into the pot, it’s starting to look like everyone wants in on this action. Why does this happen though? Have we run out of original ideas already? Animated movies will always be king compared to remakes, but if we are just going to keep doing this, at least make them on the level that ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ is operating on. The failure ‘Snow White’ (2025) may make Disney scale back on some productions in development, but time will only tell.
By Aidan Reidy
Click here to read The Hollywood Insider’s CEO Pritan Ambroase’s love letter to Cinema, TV and Media. An excerpt from the love letter: The Hollywood Insider’s CEO/editor-in-chief Pritan Ambroase affirms, “We have the space and time for all your stories, no matter who/what/where you are. Media/Cinema/TV have a responsibility to better the world and The Hollywood Insider will continue to do so. Talent, diversity and authenticity matter in Cinema/TV, media and storytelling. In fact, I reckon that we should announce “talent-diversity-authenticity-storytelling-Cinema-Oscars-Academy-Awards” as synonyms of each other. We show respect to talent and stories regardless of their skin color, race, gender, sexuality, religion, nationality, etc., thus allowing authenticity into this system just by something as simple as accepting and showing respect to the human species’ factual diversity. We become greater just by respecting and appreciating talent in all its shapes, sizes, and forms. Award winners, which includes nominees, must be chosen on the greatness of their talent ALONE.
I am sure I am speaking for a multitude of Cinema lovers all over the world when I speak of the following sentiments that this medium of art has blessed me with. Cinema taught me about our world, at times in English and at times through the beautiful one-inch bar of subtitles. I learned from the stories in the global movies that we are all alike across all borders. Remember that one of the best symbols of many great civilizations and their prosperity has been the art they have left behind. This art can be in the form of paintings, sculptures, architecture, writings, inventions, etc. For our modern society, Cinema happens to be one of them. Cinema is more than just a form of entertainment, it is an integral part of society. I love the world uniting, be it for Cinema, TV, media, art, fashion, sport, etc. Please keep this going full speed.”
More Interesting Stories From The Hollywood Insider
– Want GUARANTEED SUCCESS? Remove these ten words from your vocabulary| Transform your life INSTANTLY
– A Tribute to Martin Scorsese: A Complete Analysis of the Life and Career of the Man Who Lives and Breathes Cinema
– Do you know the hidden messages in ‘Call Me By Your Name’? Find out behind the scenes facts in the full commentary and In-depth analysis of the cinematic masterpiece
– A Tribute To The Academy Awards: All Best Actor/Actress Speeches From The Beginning Of Oscars 1929-2019 | From Rami Malek, Leonardo DiCaprio To Denzel Washington, Halle Berry & Beyond | From Olivia Colman, Meryl Streep To Bette Davis & Beyond
– In the 32nd Year Of His Career, Keanu Reeves’ Face Continues To Reign After Launching Movies Earning Over $4.3 Billion In Total – “John Wick”, “Toy Story 4”, “Matrix”, And Many More
Author
You might also like…
Aidan Reidy is a writer who’s currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in motion pictures screenwriting at the University of Miami. He is passionate about the entertainment industry and enjoys watching most genres. He is interested in every aspect of filmmaking ranging from technical aspects like editing and sound mixing to acting and directing styles. Hollywood Insider’s commitment to substance-filled articles rather than gossip columns attracted him to the website, creating an enjoyable environment for him to write in and aligning with his personal values, as well.
Aidan Reidy is a writer who’s currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in motion pictures screenwriting at the University of Miami. He is passionate about the entertainment industry and enjoys watching most genres. He is interested in every aspect of filmmaking ranging from technical aspects like editing and sound mixing to acting and directing styles. Hollywood Insider’s commitment to substance-filled articles rather than gossip columns attracted him to the website, creating an enjoyable environment for him to write in and aligning with his personal values, as well.
