Get ready to hop on Toothless’ back, because the live-action How to Train Your Dragon is about to take flight! Hitting theaters on June 13, 2025, this reimagining of the 2010 DreamWorks Animation hit, directed by the OG trilogy mastermind Dean DeBlois, is already looking like a summer blockbuster. According to Deadline, it’s expected to rake in $65-75 million domestically over its opening weekend, with another $110 million from overseas markets. With a killer cast, jaw-dropping visuals, and that same heart-tugging story, this one’s got families and fans buzzing with excitement.
The film sticks close to the original’s vibe, set on the rugged Viking island of Berk, where dragons and humans are sworn enemies. It follows Hiccup (Mason Thames), the scrappy, brainy son of Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler, back in action), who shakes things up by befriending Toothless, a super-cool Night Fury dragon. Their bond flips the script on old grudges, and it’s all brought to life with a $150 million budget packed with epic CGI and aerial stunts, plus John Powell’s iconic score cranking up the feels. The cast, including Nico Parker as Astrid, is ready to bring this tale to a whole new audience.
The early numbers are looking hot—$8.6 million from Thursday previews and $2.5 million from Wednesday early screenings, with some folks saying it could hit a franchise-record $82.5 million opening weekend in the U.S. alone. Universal’s doubling down on the hype with their new Epic Universe theme park in Orlando, complete with a How to Train Your Dragon area featuring rides and dragon drones. Fans in Korea are already raving, giving it a 9.9 audience score and pulling in $1.7 million on opening day. Posts on X are popping off, with clips of Toothless soaring through the sky getting everyone stoked.
Sure, it’s got some competition—like A24’s Materialists, a rom-com with Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans, aiming for a solid $7 million-plus debut. But How to Train Your Dragon is the one to beat, with its PG rating and family-friendly appeal. It needs about $375 million worldwide to break even, and with an A CinemaScore and a 98% Rotten Tomatoes audience score, it’s got a real shot at hitting $300 million domestically. Some online chatter about casting choices, like Parker as Astrid, stirred a bit of noise, but the stunning visuals and heartfelt story are winning over crowds, with early reviews praising Thames and Butler’s performances.
DeBlois has promised a movie that keeps the “heart and soul” of the original, and it’s delivering big time in RealD 3D, IMAX, and other premium formats. With a sequel already lined up for 2027, this live-action take is set to keep the How to Train Your Dragon magic alive. So, grab your Viking helmet and get ready for a wild ride—Toothless and Hiccup are about to set the box office on fire!
Source: Deadline