A live-action adaptation of “How to Train Your Dragon” is soaring to theaters in 2025.

Dean DeBlois, who wrote and directed the animated trilogy — 2010’s “How to Train Your Dragon,” 2014’s “How to Train Your Dragon 2” and 2019’s “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” — is returning to write and direct the newest entry in the franchise. It’s slated to release on March 14, 2025.

The Oscar-nominated “How to Train Your Dragon” takes place in the mythical Viking village of Berk and follows the adventures of a misfit teen named Hiccup who befriends an injured dragon he calls Toothless. The fantasy series, backed by Universal and DreamWorks and based on the books by Cressida Cowell, has generated more than $1.6 billion worldwide. Their journeys have taken them beyond the big screen, spawning three TV series — “DreamWorks Dragons,” “Rescue Riders” and “The Nine Realms” — as well as theme park rides and the live show, “How to Train Your Dragon on Ice.”

Prior to his work on the original “How to Train Your Dragon” trilogy, DeBlois worked with Chris Sanders on Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” after first serving as co-heads of story on 1998’s “Mulan.” In addition to writing and directing, DeBlois will also serve as producer.

Marc Platt, a best picture nominee for “La La Land,” “Bridge of Spies” and “Trial Of The Chicago 7,” will also produce the film for his Universal-based company Marc Platt Productions alongside Adam Siegel, president of Marc Platt Productions. Platt is currently in production on Universal’s film adaptation of “Wicked,” directed by Jon M. Chu and starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.

Universal’s VP of production development Lexi Barta will oversee the film on behalf of the studio.

DeBlois is represented by WME and Lichter Grossman Nichols Adler Feldman & Clark.

Universal’s live-action adaptation of DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon has found its human riders.

Mason Thames, who starred in Universal’s horror hit The Black Phone, and Nico Parker, the rising actress who was last seen in HBO’s The Last of Us, are set to star as Hiccup and Astrid in the feature being directed by Dean DeBlois.

Universal has dated the feature for a March 14, 2025, release and is planning on a film shoot this summer.

Using the books by Cressida Cowell as a jumping-off point, How to Train Your Dragon focused on the special friendship between a young and unheroic Viking boy named Hiccup and Toothless, an injured dragon he nurses back to health. The movies chronicled Hiccup and Toothless’ quest to combat humanity’s prejudice against dragons, the ache of overcoming the loss of a parent, and first love.

The character of Astrid travels her own arc through the trilogy, moving from someone who has disdain toward the dragons to bonding with one of her own, and moving from a foil to Hiccup to becoming his confidante and eventual partner.

Jay Baruchel voiced Hiccup in the animated trilogy, while Astrid was voiced by America Ferrera.

The search for the live-action counterparts took many months of looking for actors who could grow into the roles as much as the characters themselves grew into maturity in the movie franchise. The franchise was unique in that each installment made jumps in the age of the protagonists to highlight life events and make it a true “coming-of-age” story.

DeBlois is writing and directing the project. Producing are three-time best picture Oscar nominee Marc Platt and Adam Siegel via Marc Platt Productions.

VP of production development Lexi Barta will oversee the film on behalf of Universal.

Fifteen-year-old Thames appeared on three episodes of Apple TV+’s acclaimed drama, For All Mankind, before nabbing the lead in Black Phone, Scott Derrickson’s adaptation of the Joe Hill short story produced by Blumhouse and released by Universal 2022. The movie proved to be a box office and commercial hit, putting Thames on the radar for other teen roles.

The actor now has two movies in the can, coming-of-age party comedy Incoming and adventure-thriller Boys of Summer with Mel Gibson. He is repped by WME and Brillstein Entertainment.

Parker made her acting debut as a lead in Tim Burton’s live-action adaptation of Dumbo, made by Disney in 2019. She did a stint on HBO series The Third Day opposite Jude Law and Naomie Harris and appeared in Lisa Joy’s sci-fi mind-bender Reminiscence with Hugh Jackman. In Last of Us, one of the biggest hits from HBO in years, she played the daughter of the dangerous would-be lone wolf survivor played by Pedro Pascal.

The actress, who will be seen next in opposite Woody Harrelson and Laura Linney in Laura Chinn’s Suncoast, is repped by WME and Curtis Brown.

I ask because it seems "it's part of the multiverse" seems to be a trendy explanation for remakes these days. I know I'm rapidly becoming (or, depending on your point of view, already am) an old fart, but in my day we just accepted remakes as separate from the originals without the need of some in-world explanation.

Nick Frost has entered the Viking village.

Frost, perhaps best known for his starring turns in Edgar Wright movies such as Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, has joined the cast of Universal Pictures’ live-action adaptation of DreamWorks Animation’s How To Train Your Dragon.

Dean DeBlois, who co-wrote and directed the original and revered trilogy, is steering the new feature, returning as writer, director and producer.

The project already has Mason Thames (The Black Phone) and Nico Parker (The Last of Us) set to star as Hiccup and Astrid, the young teens who befriend dragons. Gerard Butler, who voiced Stoick the Vast, the leader of the Viking clan and Hiccup’s father, is reprising his role in the flesh.

Frost will play Gobber the Belch, the trusted friend and advisor of Stoick.