6 things the ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ live-action remake does better than the original animated movie

The live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon hit screens on June 13, 2025, giving young fans a new mystical world to fall into and older fans the nostalgia of a childhood spent watching Hiccup and Toothless' adventures. While live-action remakes are widely looked at with suspicion, the DreamWorks movie managed to exceed expectations.

Directed by Dean DeBlois, the movie takes fans to the Viking village of Berk, threatened by dragons ransacking their livelihood. But when the chieftain's son Hiccup (Mason Thames) realizes the dragons can be friendly and are only trying to survive, things escalate. Together with Astrid (Nico Parker), he tries to change everyone's minds about the creatures.

While the movie is mostly a shot-by-shot remake, there are some things the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon might have done better than the original.

Disclaimer: All opinions in this article belong to the writer.

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What did the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon do better than the original?

1) Breathtaking locations and well-executed CGI

The dragon CGI was particularly praised for its intricacies (Image via YouTube/Universal Pictures)

The live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon made use of the magical, expansive landscapes in Belfast, Ireland, and the volcanic landscapes of Iceland. The filming locations captured the beauty of the movie's premise in a way that superseded the animated version.

This, combined with the intricately designed and executed dragons through CGI--rough scales, movements in flight, and the fierceness in their eyes--elevates the movie's storyline and quickly immerses the fans into Hiccup's world. The camera work made full use of the vast landscapes to bring to life hyper-realistic and larger-than-life action sequences.

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2) More fleshed out and diverse characters in Berk

Berk became a gathering point for warriors from across the world (Image via YouTube/Universal Pictures)

How to Train Your Dragon is set in a Scandinavian village called Berk, so it makes sense for all the Vikings and other people to be caucasian. However, not only did the live-action version introduce more ethnicities to the village, it also gave proper reasoning for these warriors to gather at Berk. So it wasn't diversity for diversity's sake.

Fighters from across the world with a thirst for revenge against the dragons gather at Berk to battle alongside the Vikings. They add another dimension to Berk, and show that the dragons are a bigger problem than the animated version depicts. It is so dire that they needed people from around the world to join the fight.

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3) Snotlout's character arc gains more purpose

Snotlout (behind on the left) has an explanation for his bullying nature (Image via YouTube/Universal Pictures)

As Hiccup's rival in dragon-fighting class, Snotlout (Gabriel Howell) is the quintessential bully in How to Train Your Dragon. The animated version makes him more two-dimensional, portraying him as a bully without a cause. However, the movie takes some time to flesh out his character and hone in on the reason for his behavior.

The thing that a live-action remake can achieve better than its animated counterpart is the wholly human reactions. Snotlout's tense relationship with his father and his desperate need to please him make him lash out at Hiccup. This is narrated with nuance through the subtle facial expressions they exchange. No dialogue is required, and human characters reign supreme in moments like these.

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4) The film spends time on Berk's establishment and history

Astrid and Hiccup converse on a hill overlooking Berk (Image via YouTube/Universal Pictures)

Apart from Berk being a gathering point for Vikings and warriors from across the world, How to Train Your Dragon takes its time establishing the intrinsic motivations behind the villagers staying there, despite facing constant threat from the dragons.

In the animated movie version, the fighters head butts with the dragons with a stubborn sense of pride. While this translates to the live-action, there is a method to the madness, and a motive: They are gathered to end the threat of dragons in all parts of the world. This goes beyond Berk.

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5) Astrid holds her own in the live-action remake

Nico Parker plays up the hopes and ambitions of Astrid in the movie (Image via YouTube/Universal Pictures)

The live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon made Astrid a person of color, adding a layer of intrigue to her character. Moreover, her motivations, trials, and tribulations get more space in the spotlight. So, the movie takes the original characters and puts them in the same premise while building on their existing personalities.

Astrid has a clear goal and high aspirations: To become the village chieftain or assume a position of leadership at Berk. This connects to her apparent disdain for Hiccup.

She expresses frustration about his complacency as the village chieftain's son, and how he does not seem to care for the position he is in, something she so desperately craves. She is also instrumental in reminding Hiccup later that his strength lies in his empathy, even if it is for the dragons.

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6) Hiccup's mother's death has a bigger influence on the storyline

Butler perfectly portrayed the grieving, raging chieftain Stoick (Image via YouTube/Universal Pictures)

Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler) is the angry and powerful village chieftain of Berk who wants to destroy the dragons. His conflict arises from the death of his wife because of a dragon, years before the start of How to Train Your Dragon. That fuels his ambitions to make Berk free of the creatures.

In the live-action remake, Hiccup's mother is mentioned multiple times, and not just in passing. This acts as a reminder for fans and unlocks a facade of Stoick that might not have been showcased before. That way, when he disowns Hiccup for fraternizing with the enemy, fans understand his side of the story, too.

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While the movie might be a re-enactment of sorts, taking the animated classic and piecing it together with real-life characters, it managed to tick some boxes and bring a fresh perspective for its fans, who got to revisit the nostalgia. Catch How to Train Your Dragon in theaters!

Edited by Tiasha