Summary
- How to Train Your Dragon 2 is in the works, despite skepticism.
- Universal is taking a risk by announcing the sequel early.
- Universal hopes for success, but potential oversaturation could be a concern.
Universal Studios’ announcement that a How to Train Your Dragon live-action film will be coming and will be released on June 13, 2025, had some people raising their eyebrows about whether or not it was a good decision. However, they’re now doubling down and have already confirmed that a sequel is also in the works.
The upcoming How to Train Your Dragon live-action movies will see Toothless and the other iconic dragons soaring to new heights. However, whether immediately rushing into a sequel is a good idea will remain to be seen, as there’s a lot of skepticism.
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How To Train Your Dragon 2 Is Happening Regardless Of The Original’s Success
Universal Is Taking A Shot In The Dark
During the recent CinemaCon 2025 event, Universal revealed that How to Train Your Dragon 2 is getting the live-action treatment, shocking most people. It’s a bold move by Universal, given the first film hasn’t been released, and while it showcases an extreme level of confidence in that film, it could also be blind optimism. Universal has committed to making the sequel now, with audiences expecting it, but that is effectively a shot in the dark. While those higher up in the company will know what the first live-action will look like, they cannot predict how it will be received from a critical and commercial perspective, even with their best guesses. That’s why they’ve taken a monumental risk by already announcing the sequel. Even if they knew it was happening, most people would presume they’d hold off greenlighting it to the public until the first movie came out, but the decision not to showcase bravery comes with a high risk and a possibility of failure.
Disney Has Proven Live Action Remakes Don’t Always Become Hits
Snow White Is The Latest Box Office Bomb
Universal appears to be following Disney down the path of live-action remakes for their popular animated movies. Disney has been doing this for a while, and there are some examples that prove this formula can be an easy way of printing money, such as The Lion King’s live-action films. However, for every major hit, some monumental flops should have set alarm bells ringing for decision-makers at Universal to tread carefully in this world. Taking on How to Train Your Dragon was a wise option due to its popularity and how well that world lends itself to this format. However, even that doesn’t guarantee that this version will be a financial success.
Disney’s most recent live-action adaptation was Snow White, an iconic animated movie featuring a princess beloved by generations of people. Yet the live-action version has flopped hard and isn’t performing well at the box office. It was a risk by Disney, and it didn’t pay off. That could easily happen to the upcoming How to Train Your Dragon remake, especially since this is the studio’s first foray into doing a live-action adaptation. That’s what makes doubling down on a sequel before it has ever been released such a risky move.
How To Train Your Dragon 2 Might Not Be Wanted
Universal Will Be Hoping The First Movie Performs Well
Ultimately, How to Train Your Dragon 2 might be a movie nobody wants to see by the time it releases. If the first live-action film ends up being a flop, then Universal creating a sequel will have been a pointless risk because there won’t be a captive audience wanting to see it. Now that it has been announced, moviegoers will expect Universal to follow through with making it, and backing out if the first movie doesn’t perform well would be just as bad of a look. Of course, they could be seen as geniuses if the first live-action is a box office hit, but anything outside of that is going to have fans pointing to this decision as a significant risk.
Even if How to Train Your Dragon does do well, running a sequel so quickly is just as risky because there’s the potential for oversaturation. The original animated trilogy aren’t old movies, and since then, there have been theme park attractions, television shows, and video games, meaning nobody has ever had the time to truly miss this franchise. Universal has constantly been pumping out content for How to Train Your Dragon, which makes sense given its popularity. Eventually, that will take audiences to burnout, and repeating the same films that already exist but are in live-action format might be that moment. The first live-action is expected to be the same as the original animated movie, and while it’s unknown if the sequel will follow suit, most people think that it will. Given that nothing new is being provided outside of the visuals, there’s a strong risk here that Universal might be pushing How to Train Your Dragon too far.
- Release Date
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June 13, 2025
- Runtime
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116 Minutes
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Mason Thames
Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III
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Nico Parker
Astrid Hofferson
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Gerard Butler
Stoick the Vast
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Nick Frost
Gobber the Belch
