The debut trailer for the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon has left me scratching my head, wondering why we keep turning to this formula.
Here we go again. Another day brings yet another trailer for a live-action revamp of a cherished animated classic, and let’s be honest—this time, it’s likely motivated by the potential for financial gain. This iteration is How to Train Your Dragon, a film that originally soared to popularity in its animated form and significantly filled the box office coffers. Even today, it maintains a devoted fan base. Universal Pictures dropped the teaser yesterday, and after watching it, all I could feel was a bit of frustration. But don’t just take my word for it—give it a look and form your own opinion.
What’s interesting is that Dean DeBlois, the original co-director, is back on board, which counts for something, I guess. Despite the animated version not being the most vivid spectacle, this live-action take still manages to drain it of color even further. It’s clear they’re attempting to closely mimic the original, but these adaptations often lose so much in the transition to live action. Poor Toothless looks rather out of place against the realistic backdrop, and even the once playful logo has gone through a serious makeover. I suspect a lot of these choices come down to the decision-making of executives and the marketing team.
On the brighter side, the casting looks promising. Mason Thames, known from The Black Phone, steps into the shoes of Hiccup, while Gerard Butler returns as Chief Stoick the Vast, a character he voiced in the animated version, so he’s likely to be a good fit. We also have Nico Parker from The Last of Us as Astrid, and the ever-charismatic Nick Frost from Shaun of the Dead portraying Gobber, both excellent additions to the line-up.
Like it or not, this film is happening, and I’ll just have to come to terms with its existence. We’ll all see how it measures up when it’s finally out in theaters next year on June 13.
