It may be easy to speculate as to why this remake/adaptation is happening. After all, the trilogy ended on a very satisfying note with “The Hidden World” in 2019, and its fanbase is still going strong. The franchise is not all that old, even if the first one will mark its 15th anniversary when its live-action adaptation is released. Why fix a perfectly fine and even great thing?
The answer may be simpler than you might expect. It’s likely that its popularity and continued cultural relevance are exactly why it is making the move from animation to live-action. Disney has proven that no matter the online backlash, people will show up to the theaters to see their favorite animated movies adapted in a different medium. It’s also not like DreamWorks themselves are strangers to the live-action realm — outside of its famous animation department, the company has consistently produced live-action fare since its creation, even nabbing several Oscar nominations for films like “Lincoln” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7.”
While it makes sense from a business perspective, fans might still be scratching their heads. What does this mean for the industry’s perception of animated movies? That’s still unclear, but the fact that DeBlois will be steering this ship should alleviate some concerns. However, we won’t know for certain until we see “How to Train Your Dragon” in theaters on March 14, 2025.
