Almost a year after Universal Pictures announced that a live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon is in the works, a behind-the-scenes photo has been shared today (via The Hollywood Handle) showing The Black Phone’s Mason Thames on the set for the Hiccup role.
The BTS photo surfaced days after director Dean DeBlois, who will also serve as the upcoming film’s writer, praised the live-action remake’s first week of filming. DeBlois is also the filmmaker behind all three original How to Train Your Dragon animated movies, with Chris Sanders having co-directed the first installment.
“The shots are breathtaking, our crew is top notch, and our cast is amazing! Wait [until] you see them in action – trust me, they’re [fantastic],” DeBlois wrote on Instagram.
You can check out the BTS photo down below:
When is the live-action adaptation coming out?
Based on Cressida Cowell’s children’s book series of the same name, the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon was originally slated to hit cinemas on March 14, 2025. However, due to delays caused by the Hollywood strikes last year, the adaptation’s release date was changed to June 13, 2025, according to Deadline.
The film will reportedly explore the same story told in books and animated movies, following young Hiccup’s journey to tame the playful yet extremely dangerous Toothless. Apart from directing the live-action remake, DeBlois is also set to produce the film, with Lexi Barya overseeing the project on behalf of Universal. Joining Thames in the live-action film is The Last of Us’ Nico Parker as Astrid Hofferson.
“For more than a decade, DreamWorks Animation’s epic animated film trilogy about the friendship between a young man and his dragon has moved, inspired, and delighted audiences worldwide,” the Universal statement reads. “Now, a new live-action adaptation of the blockbuster How to Train Your Dragon franchise will transport audiences for the first time into a new cinematic experience and a bold, thrilling new chapter in the beloved story of Viking Hiccup and his Night Fury dragon, Toothless.”
