Posted in: Movies, Universal | Tagged: how to train your dragon

How to Train Your Dragon "Really Shaped Who I Was" Says Mason Thames

How to Train Your Dragon star Mason Thames says the series, "really shaped who I was as a kid, just like a lot of people who watched it growing up."

Is this summer going to be the time when multiple studios get the live-action remake thing right? Things are trending pretty positively for Disney and Lilo & Stitch, and it looks like people are pretty excited about How to Train Your Dragon as well. Maybe Snow White somehow reset the entire thing, and now people are back into this, or maybe two studios are releasing two movies where they figured out how to walk the line of respecting the original while trying something new. People were really nervous about How to Train Your Dragon and with good reason. This franchise was foundational for a lot of people, including star Mason Thames. He recently revealed to Empire how, "It really shaped who I was as a kid, just like a lot of people who watched it growing up. … I was Hiccup for Halloween." Universal must be pretty confident that they have a hit on their hands because they have greenlit the second already, which was confirmed at CinemaCon following the world premiere. Thames, for one, is excited about that.

"The second movie was always my favourite," Thames explained. "All the action sequences, [and] how the relationships have evolved five years after the first film…"

Well, Thames will have a chance to destroy everyone emotionally for at least two films because we know that the second film is on the way. There is a reason people are so nervous while also excited about this film, and that is because people are so invested in it. These films impacted people deeply, and it wasn't just the audience that walked away feeling that impact. Director Dean DeBlois worked on all three of the previous animated films and is back for this live-action remake. He explained that the relationship between Hiccup and Stoick means a lot to him because he couldn't have that relationship with his father.

"When I was young, I was the apple of [my father's] eye, but when I was a cheeky teenager we butted heads a lot," DeBlois revealed. "Then he passed away when I was still a teenager, so we never had the chance to make amends at a time when we had a bit of an acrimonious relationship."

While the review embargo is still up, and they did make sure we knew there were still a few tweaks here and there that needed to be made, I'm happy to report that How to Train Your Dragon is good. As someone very nervous about this and a huge fan of the original film, I walked away very pleased and just as in my feels as I was when I saw the first film for the first time.

How to Train Your Dragon: Summary, Cast List, Release Date

From three-time Oscar® nominee and Golden Globe winner Dean DeBlois, the creative visionary behind DreamWorks Animation's acclaimed How to Train Your Dragon trilogy comes a stunning live-action reimagining of the film that launched the beloved franchise.

On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup (Mason Thames; The Black Phone, For All Mankind) stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler, reprising his voice role from the animated franchise), Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society.

With the fierce and ambitious Astrid (BAFTA nominee Nico Parker; Dumbo, The Last of Us) and the village's quirky blacksmith Gobber (Nick Frost; Snow White and the Huntsman, Shaun of the Dead) by his side, Hiccup confronts a world torn by fear and misunderstanding.
As an ancient threat emerges, endangering both Vikings and dragons, Hiccup's friendship with Toothless becomes the key to forging a new future. Together, they must navigate the delicate path toward peace, soaring beyond the boundaries of their worlds and redefining what it means to be a hero and a leader.

The film also stars Julian Dennison (Deadpool 2), Gabriel Howell (Bodies), Bronwyn James (Wicked), Harry Trevaldwyn (Smothered), Ruth Codd (The Midnight Club), BAFTA nominee Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Murray McArthur (Game of Thrones).

How to Train Your Dragon is written, produced and directed by DeBlois. It is also produced by three-time Oscar® nominee Marc Platt (Wicked, La La Land) and Emmy winner Adam Siegel (Drive, 2 Guns). How To Train Your Dragon is part of the Filmed For IMAX® Program, which offers filmmakers IMAX® technology to help them deliver the most immersive movie experience to audiences around the world.

Inspired by Cressida Cowell's New York Times bestselling book series, DreamWorks Animation's How to Train Your Dragon franchise has captivated global audiences, earning four Academy Award® nominations and grossing more than $1.6 billion at the global box office. Now, through cutting-edge visual effects, DeBlois transforms his beloved animated saga into a breathtaking live-action spectacle, bringing the epic adventures of Hiccup and Toothless to life with jaw-dropping realism as they discover the true meaning of friendship, courage and destiny. How To Train Your Dragon will be released in theaters on June 13, 2025.

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