Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s How to Trian Your Dragon will return to the big screen, but as a live-action feature adaptation with the franchise’s 3x Oscar nominated and Golden Globe winning filmmaker Dean DeBlois returning to write, direct and produce the newest entry.
How to Train Your Dragon is based on the book series by Cressida Cowell.
A theatrical release date of March 14, 2025 has been set. At this point, there are no other wide releases on that date.
The first How to Train Your Dragon follows a hapless young Viking, Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) who aspires to hunt dragons and becomes the unlikely friend of a young dragon, Toothless, and learns there may be more to the creatures than he assumed. The animated franchise through three movies has amassed more than $1.6 billion.
The series has notched four Academy Award nominations and a Golden Globe Award for the second filmed chapter.
Prior to collaborating on the original How to Train Your Dragon with Chris Sanders, DeBlois and Sanders wrote and directed Walt Disney Animation Studios’ beloved Academy Award nominated Lilo & Stitch (2002) after first serving as co-heads of story on Mulan (1998).
3x Best Picture Oscar nominee Marc Platt (La La Land, Bridge of Spies, Trial Of The Chicago 7) will produce for his Universal-based Marc Platt Productions alongside Adam Siegel, President of Marc Platt Productions. Platt is currently in production on Universal Pictures’ film adaptation of Wicked, directed by Jon M. Chu and starring Grammy winner Ariana Grande and Academy Award nominee and Tony, Grammy and Emmy winner Cynthia Erivo.
VP of Production Development Lexi Barta will oversee the film on behalf of Universal.
DeBlois is represented by WME and Lichter Grossman Nichols Adler Feldman & Clark.