Posted in: Movies, Universal | Tagged: how to train your dragon
How To Train Your Dragon "Dialed-Up In Terms Of Stakes" In Live-Action
How To Train Your Dragon director Dean DeBlois says the film is "so dialed-up in terms of stakes" because it's in live-action now.
Article Summary
- Dean DeBlois discusses stakes in live-action How To Train Your Dragon adaptation.
- Dragons' photo-realism crucial to the success of the franchise's portrayal in live-action.
- Mason Thames praised as Hiccup for capturing the character's unique vulnerability.
- Fans eagerly await a trailer; speculation about its release tied to upcoming films.
While many big releases are set to come out in 2024, everyone has started talking about next year and what is coming next year. New entries to massive franchises are returning, and some films that seemed like they would never come out are finally here. It's still unclear whether or not a live-action adaptation of How To Train Your Dragon is a good idea, and we've seen virtually nothing from the film, yet people involved are starting to talk about it. Or, in the case of director Dean DeBlois, who worked on all three of the animated films and, in a new interview with Empire, talked about how the change from animation to live-action has changed the dynamics of the film. DeBlois explained, "It's so dialed-up in terms of stakes — having a fully credible, photo-real dragon stomping around trying to kill him."
The dragons and how they look in How To Train Your Dragon will be the thing that really makes or breaks the film, but fans are very attached to the animated versions of the characters and how they are presented in that medium. Hiccup and all of his friends are just as important to the story as the dragons, and DeBlois goes on to praise Mason Thames, who is playing Hiccup and who's perfect for the role. Deblous said that Hiccup "represents all of the oddballs out there, and there are many of us. There was a bit of awkwardness, but also a vulnerability to him which [came] with the fact that he was 15 when we were auditioning him."
The early looks and previews for 2025 films, specifically those coming out in the summer and beyond, have just started to roll out, so we should see more about this film soon. There is a chance Universal could drop a trailer before the end of the year or attach to Wicked, maybe a spot at the Super Bowl, or to Dreamwork's next film, which is set to be released in January. People will have opinions about How To Train Your Dragon, so a good first impression will be crucial.
How To Train Your Dragon Is Top Tier Dreamworks
The How To Train Your Dragon animated series is one of the best things that Dreamworks has made, full stop. Based on the books by author Cressida Cowell, the series began in 2010 with the first film of the same name. Over the following three films, the movie would make over $1.5 billion at the worldwide box office and spin off into five short films, three television shows, and several video games. The franchise has consistently received positive critical and commercial acclaim, not to mention numerous award nominations and wins. It isn't surprising that they want to make a live-action version of the franchise, considering how well that has been going for Disney in the last couple of years. However, one of the things that made those films so good was the artistic direction and animation. The story was fantastic, but the look of everything elevated it, and it will be hard to recapture that in live-action. It currently has a release date of June 13, 2025.