How to Train Your Dragon 2 Live Action: 7 Things I Expect – Christopher J. Watt

There are exactly 365 days until the highly-anticipated release of the How to Train Your Dragon 2 live action movie. Anticipation is rapidly growing. Director Dean DeBlois recently posted on Instagram that principal photography for the filmed sequel has wrapped up, including a first glimpse at Mason Thames’s flaming sword ‘Inferno’. An author who is deeply invested in quality worldbuidling and good storytelling, Christopher J. Watt has closely monitored the development of the recent cinematic fantasy releases, and in honour of the 365-day countdown, he shares his analysis of the top seven moments from the animated original that he is excited to see come to life in live action on the big screen.

7 Highly Anticipated Moments for the How to Train Your Dragon 2 live action

The animated How to Train Your Dragon 2 was the franchise’s highest-grossing film before the first live action adaptation smashed the record and surpassed $636 million at the global box office last year. Considering many fans love the animated sequel more than the original, the HTTYD2 live action could quite possibly break the $636M record if it is executed well. 

Authors and film directors have in common the desire for quality storytelling, no matter the medium. The primary difference is that authors bring stories to life through the mind and imagination. On the other hand, it’s a director’s job to bring it to life visually. And so with this in mind, I put these thoughts forward not only as a deep admirer of the HTTYD franchise, but as a fellow storyteller. 

Note: This article contains major plot spoilers for the animated How to Train Your Dragon 2.

7. Meeting Eret Son of Eret

When Hiccup and Astrid meet the notorious dragon trapper Eret son of Eret, the scene is a mixture of action and tension. Phil Dunster, known for his work in Ted Lasso, has officially joined the franchise’s cast, filling the boots of Game of Thrones star Kit Harington, who voiced Eret in the past animated movies. Dunster’s description of Eret as a “swashbuckling” and “dragon-esque Jack Sparrow” promises a strong performance.

It is vital that the sight of Eret’s ice-obliterated village is executed well, as seeing this, in addition to Valka’s ice mountain, in live-action CGI adds an additional layer of realism that’ll darken the story dramatically. Taking inspiration from actual ice sculptures and caves (such as ones in Iceland) will further add to the stunning nature of these scenes. 

6. Stoick’s Funeral

Undoubtedly the most tragic scene in the entire How to Train Your Dragon trilogy is the sacrificial death of Stoick the Vast, shot by Toothless under Drago Bludvist’s influence. It is a two way loss: Hiccup losing his father at the same time as his bond with Toothless. In a quiet following sequence the dragon riders pay their respects to the great man as the boat carrying his body is pushed out to sea and set ablaze.

If the 2025 HTTYD live action could make people cry, Stoick’s funeral in the sequel adaptation is sure to leave a profound emotional impact on fans who have grown to know and love the chief. It’s an iconic moment which cannot be overlooked as one of the two most emotional turning points in How to Train Your Dragon 2. 

5. Flying with Mother

Ultimately, meeting Valka and the discovery of her as Hiccup’s mother is not the climax of How to Train Your Dragon 2, but it plays a deeply integral role in the entire franchise. 

Valka is first introduced as a mysterious warrior who kidnaps Hiccup and Toothless before recognising her son and taking off her mask, revealing her true identity as Hiccup’s long-lost mom. This, in addition with another flashback and a thrilling aerial bonding sequence between the mother-and-son duo, stands as one of the two most pivotal moments in the original animated film. And following the exciting announcement in January that award-winning actress Cate Blanchett would return as Valka, there is much anticipation to see her embody the role she had voiced in the animated films. 

4. Hiccup the Chief

The animated How to Train Your Dragon 2 ends on a high note: Drago has been defeated, Berk is being restored, Valka is home, and Hiccup is made chief. This grand resolution comes immediately after Toothless breaks free of Drago’s control and heroically defeats Drago’s alpha Bewilderbeast in the film’s most powerful moment. 

Toothless’s glowing blue “alpha mode” remains a worldbuilding biological enigma. A more realistic take in the live action, perhaps drawing parallels to deep-sea bioluminescence, will hopefully assist in solving that issue. Despite online rumours suggesting that Astrid may be made chief instead (foreshadowed through an added bit of backstory during the first live action), I—along with countless other fans—expect to see Mason Thames rightfully crowned Chief of Berk, as dictated by the original. 

3. For the Dancing and the Dreaming

One of the most heartwarming and fun scenes in the animated How to Train Your Dragon 2 is the reunion of the Haddock family. Specifically, Stoick and Valka when they perform their old wedding song together. The song and dance is a fun and uplifting part of an emotionally dark story, but also serves to show a true union and love between the pair. This sets things up for an even more tragic end later on in the film. 

Seeing the live-action Gerard Butler as Stoick and Cate Blanchett as Valka perform the special sequence is a scene that no animation can produce. Quite frankly, as much as I adore all aspects of the original sequel, this scene is one which I am heavily anticipating. Dean DeBlois has his work cut out for him, but he has an extraordinary cast who can work together to exceed the animation’s high standards.

2. Battle of the Bewilderbeast 

The first remake set a dramatically darker tone for the movies: more serious, powerful, and higher stakes. The second movie must heavily continue this trend, as the plot itself is darker than the first film’s. This approach will further elevate the HTTYD story from a simple family adventure to a sweeping, fantasy epic closer to the likes of Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings in scale and grandeur. 

Nothing says “epic fantasy” more than enormous, high-scale battles, and Dean DeBlois has exactly the right circumstances required to pull off a large-scale battle scene in the How to Train Your Dragon 2 live action movie: opposing armies, warships, a ruthless warlord, broad landscape, hundreds of dragons, and two titan-class dragons facing off in the ultimate battle. It’s a highly-anticipated scene which has the potential to put How to Train Your Dragon among the greatest achievements in modern fantasy cinema.

1. Where No One Goes

By far one of the most iconic scenes in the second animated film is its opening: the breathtaking introduction of Hiccup and Toothless taking flight over the ocean at exhilarating speeds, set to the score of John Powell and Jónsi’s Where No One Goes.

It’s an awe-inspiring visual spectacle which showcases Hiccup’s transformation from the awkward, clumsy boy in the first movie to a mature, courageous, and adventurous older son of a chief in HTTYD 2. Dean DeBlois set the bar high by utilising fantastic camera angles and stunning real-world scenery for the Test Drive and We Have Dragons scenes in the first live action remake, but I have no doubt that this scene in the second remake, more than any others, will transcend the original by far. 

The Upcoming Film

As we mark one year until the cinematic release, the star-studded HTTYD2 cast list has officially confirmed:

• Mason Thames as Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III

• Gerard Butler as Stoick the Vast

• Cate Blanchett as Valka

• Phil Dunster as Eret Son of Eret

• Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Drago Bludvist

• Nico Parker as Astrid Hofferson

• Nick Frost as Gobber the Belch

• Julian Dennison as Fishlegs Ingerman

• Gabriel Howell as Snotlout Jorgenson

• Bronwyn James & Harry Trevaldwyn as Ruffnut and Tuffnut Thorston

The How to Train Your Dragon 2 live action movie is scheduled for 11 June 2027.

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Disclaimer: All images used in this article are property of Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation and are used for commentary purposes.