The 2025 live-action adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon reimagines the beloved DreamWorks animated classic with breathtaking realism, stunning CGI dragons, and a more grounded emotional tone. Directed by Dean DeBlois, the original creator of the trilogy, the film follows the same core story but with deeper character development and a slightly darker edge.

Set on the rugged, mist-covered island of Berk, the story centers around Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (played by Mason Thames), an awkward but intelligent Viking teenager who doesn’t fit the mold of his dragon-hunting tribe, led by his stern father, Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler, reprising his role in live-action).

When Hiccup invents a device to trap a Night Fury — the rarest and most feared dragon — he succeeds but finds himself unable to kill the creature. Instead, he secretly befriends it, naming it Toothless. Their bond, portrayed through expressive visual effects and practical interactions, becomes the emotional heart of the film.

Hiccup’s secret is eventually discovered, leading to a dramatic confrontation between his loyalty to Toothless and his duty to his people. When the dragons’ nest is revealed to be ruled by the colossal, fire-spewing Red Death, the tribe’s beliefs are shattered. Hiccup, riding Toothless for the first time in front of everyone, leads a ragtag team of teens and dragons in a thrilling aerial battle.

The climax is visually stunning, featuring a high-stakes fight in the skies as Hiccup risks everything to stop the Red Death. In a bittersweet moment, Hiccup loses part of his leg, reinforcing the film’s themes of sacrifice and unity. In the end, the people of Berk finally embrace peace with dragons.

The live-action How to Train Your Dragon honors the original’s spirit while delivering a cinematic spectacle, emotional maturity, and more nuanced world-building. It sets the stage for a live-action trilogy that promises to expand the legend of Hiccup and Toothless for a new generation.