Get ready for some dragon-sized excitement—the live-action How to Train Your Dragon is hitting theaters on June 13, 2025, and it’s shaping up to be a massive hit. According to Deadline, the DreamWorks and Universal Pictures remake is eyeing a $65 million to $75 million opening weekend in the U.S. and Canada across 4,000 theaters, with another $110 million from international markets, aiming for a global debut of $175 million to $185 million. Directed by Dean DeBlois, who brought us the beloved animated trilogy, this take on Cressida Cowell’s books is set to break franchise records and light up the summer.
The story follows Hiccup, played by Mason Thames, a young Viking on the rugged island of Berk, where dragons and Vikings are sworn enemies. When Hiccup bonds with Toothless, a sleek Night Fury dragon, their friendship shakes things up, paving the way for peace as a big threat looms. Nico Parker shines as Astrid, and Gerard Butler’s back as Chief Stoick the Vast, joined by Nick Frost, Julian Dennison, and Ruth Codd. Filmed in Ireland on a $150 million budget (after tax credits), this PG-rated adventure mixes heart, laughs, and epic dragon-flying scenes, all set to John Powell’s awesome score.
The hype’s off the charts—trailers have racked up over 750 million views worldwide, with the Super Bowl LIX spot alone pulling in 370 million. The first teaser dropped November 19, 2024, with Wicked, and the full trailer hit February 12, 2025, alongside Captain America: Brave New World. Early CinemaCon screenings in April 2025 got huge cheers, and the film’s sitting pretty with an 82% Rotten Tomatoes score. Fans on X are pumped, with one saying it could open between $70M-$80M, potentially topping the $55 million record set by How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World in 2019.
Overseas, the film’s already soaring, banking $4 million in South Korea over the June 6–8 weekend and topping the local box office with great buzz. Global previews have added $21.8 million, with Europe, Latin America (especially Brazil and Mexico), and Australia showing big love for the franchise, which has earned over $1.6 billion across its animated films. China’s a wild card, but strong presales for Friday and Saturday look promising, though Japan’s release isn’t until September 5.
It’s up against Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, expected to pull $20 million in its fourth U.S. weekend, but there’s plenty of room for both family flicks to shine. Universal’s so confident they’ve already greenlit a sequel for June 11, 2027, and the new How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk land at Universal’s Epic Universe theme park, opened May 22, 2025, is fueling the hype with cool rides and “Yaknog” drinks. With Mason Thames and Nico Parker nailing their roles and DeBlois delivering a fresh yet faithful vibe, this could soar past the trilogy’s $43-$55 million opening weekends, maybe even hitting $80 million to $100 million in the U.S. if it overdelivers. Grab your tickets for June 13—this dragon ride’s gonna be epic.