Summary
2010’sHow To Train Your Dragonis one of the most beloved modern animated films. There are a lot of expectations circulating around the live-action version ofHTTYD, which isDreamworks' first remaster of an existing animated property. A lot of eyes are watching to see if it will succeed. But to stop the animation industry from further sliding into this downward reboot spiral, this movie needs to flop.
Western animation has been developing a worrying trend. In Hollywood’s obsession with finding the next big hit and financial showstopper, companies have been progressively turning their output towards sequels and remakes of existing properties and creating films around well-known brands likeBarbie.The animation industry has been no less immune to this creative dry spell.Pixar has become ever more sequel-oriented, continuing franchises likeThe IncrediblesandToy Story. Illumination is minion-crazed, busy building itsDespicable Mecinematic universe. But Disney is by far the worst offender. It has been relentlessly remaking its old library of Golden, Silver Age, and renaissance films into live-action CGI blockbusters. Very few of these have been critical successes, failing to capture the magic or improve on their successful animated predecessors.
Now, this viral reboot syndrome is spreading to other animated studios that have so far been resistant to follow suit. Dreamworks is showing that this quick and easy money-making method isn’t exclusive to Disney. Ever since theHow To Train Your Dragontrilogy capped off withThe Hidden Worldin 2019, the future of the franchise has been slightly unknown.The Hidden Worldhad rounded off the overarching story so well that many were surprised to learn in 2023 that a live-action remake was in development. The upcoming 2025 film is almost completely the same as the 2010 animated feature that it’s based on. There is little to no difference. So, what was Dreamworks' justification for reimagining the story so soon?
Dreamworks Didn’t Have A Good Reason For Commissioning This Reboot - It’s Just Following Disney’s Formula
ThisHow To Train Your Dragonremake feels slightly strangein comparison to Disney’s output, as the original animated trilogy only wrapped up six years ago. Most of Disney’s live-action remakes, as uninspired as they might be, are predominantly decades older, marketing to a new, younger audience that may not be familiar with the original films.How To Train Your Dragonis just too recent and too well-known to receive such an overhaul. It is also extremely unique given the fact that the same writer and director who created the original trilogy, Dean DeBlois, is leading the live-action adaptation as well. DeBlois has stated that he wanted to return because he missed the characters and the world. But with the exact same creative voice behind the project, what exactly isHow To Train Your Dragon(2025) offering other than simply being a nostalgia cash grab?
It’s all well and good if DeBlois' intentions are pure, but Dreamworks' reasons for commissioning this copy-and-paste film are surely inspired by Disney’s whopping financial intake. Critics and fans may complain that Disney needs to focus on creating original animated stories, but audience purchasing power is telling executives a different story. Disney has had every incentive to follow their strategy, as live-action remakes have been financial juggernauts.The Lion King(2019) had a box office of $1.6 billion, andBeauty and the Beast(2017) made $1.2 billion. With that level of income, any studio executive would want to replicate its formula.
It doesn’t take an industry insider to figure out that Dreamworks wants in on this box office miracle. But for the sake of innovative filmmaking and the continued long-term viability of original animated films, this live-action remake needs to fail. IfHow To Train Your Dragon(2025) succeeds and Dreamworks learns the wrong lesson that reboots should be prioritized over fresh ideas, then the animation industry is going to be worse off overall creatively. Animation studios will continue to take fewer risks. Future films aiming to follow in the footsteps ofimaginative triumphs like Dreamworks’The Wild Robot(2024) or Sony’sInto The Spider-Versefranchise may never see the screen.
Live-Action Remakes May Be On The Way Out, But It’s Better For This Film To Be Killed In The Crib
There are signs that Disney’s own live-action animated output may be about to wind down rapidly. For one, Disney is running out of source material and old properties to remake. It’s become the snake eating itself, having to look at films from the 2000s and 2010sto create more reimaginings, likeLilo & Stitch(2025). But there are also indicators that these productions may not be as profitable as they used to be. Much like the fatigue surrounding the superhero genre, audiences may be growing tired of live-action reboots.Snow White(2025) has failed to surpass its budget, only managing to rake in a pitiful $170 million. As a result, Disney has put its live-actionTangledremake on hold indefinitely.
Even if Disney finally decides to pull back on its remake lineup, other studios may feel that in this period of uncertainty, it is their chance to take up the mantle. Dreamworks may start an animated arms race to take control of the live-action market.
Dreamworks Has Failed To Realize An Obvious Opportunity With This Live-Action Remake
There has been a sorely missed opportunity here with this live-action remake, and that was to make this new run of films closer to Cressida Cowell’s original books. TheHow To Train Your Dragontrilogy is very different to its source material. Other than carrying over names like Hiccup, Stoick the Vast, Snotlout, Toothless, or locations like the Isle of Berk, the films have a completely separate and distinct vision for its characters, story arcs, and its worldbuilding.
This 2025 live-action remake is just the animated trilogy redesigned. But it would have been so much more interesting to see Cowell’s original vision brought to life on the big screen. Hiccup Haddock is far weedier and more pathetic than his onscreen counterpart. Astrid’s source character, Camicazi, is less of a love interest and more relevant to the story as the heir to another tribe known as the Bog Burglars. Toothless is depicted as a tiny runt of a beast (with a secret ironic dragon heritage) rather than the cat-like reptile audiences have come to love.
How To Train Your Dragon(2025) will probably find great success with audiences looking to reminisce and feel nostalgic about this beloved series of films. But before purchasing a ticket, they should remember thatthe reasonHow To Train Your Dragon(2010) existed in the first placeis that Dreamworks was consistently willing to take risks on new and original stories. If audiences want to see animation continue to create classics that will last, then they’re better off skipping this flick and showing studios that live-action reboots aren’t worth the trouble.
