Fall of the House of Usher star Ruth Codd has joined the cast for Universal’s live-action remake of the beloved animated film, How to Train Your Dragon. Per The Hollywood Reporter, the actress has been cast as Phlegma, a female member of the Viking village previously voiced by Ashley Jensen in the original movie.
Codd will be joining previously announced cast members, including Mason Thames (The Black Phone) and Nico Parker (The Last of Us). Thames will be portraying the lead character Hiccup, while Parker will star as Astrid Hofferson.
Moreover, Nick Frost also joined the cast as Gobber the Belch, with Gerard Butler playing Stoick the Vast, a character he lent his voice to in the animated films. The rest of the live-action How to Train Your Dragon cast includes Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James, and Harry Trevaldwyn.
Dean DeBlois will serve as the upcoming remake’s writer and director. He is also the filmmaker behind all three original How to Train Your Dragon animated movies, with Chris Sanders having co-directed the first installment. DeBlois will also produce the film alongside Marc Platt and Adam Siegel, with Lexi Barya overseeing the project on behalf of Universal.
What to expect in the live-action remake?
Loosely based on Cressida Cowell’s children’s book series of the same name, the forthcoming live-action remake is set to tell the same story told in books and animated films, following young Hiccup’s quest to tame the playful but extremely dangerous Toothless.
“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. 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,” the Universal statement reads.
How to Train Your Dragon was originally scheduled to open in theaters on March 14, 2025. However, due to delays caused by last year’s Hollywood strikes, the adaptation’s release date has been rescheduled for June 13, 2025.
