How to Train Your Dragon: All movies in the franchise ranked

How to Train Your Dragon is one of DreamWorks' most popular animated series. It first came out in 2010 and is about Hiccup, a kind Viking, and Toothless, a unique dragon, who become friends. Their friendship changes everything and sets the stage for a story full of passion, growth, and beautiful animation.

The franchise contains three major movies, a couple of short films, and a live-action adaptation that was recently released globally. All of them are based on Cressida Cowell's books. Jay Baruchel plays Hiccup, while America Ferrera, Gerard Butler, and Cate Blanchett are also the voices of the animated characters in the movies.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author's opinions and is not based on any official or definitive rankings.

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Ranking the movies and shows in the How To Train Your Dragon franchise

1) How To Train Your Dragon (2010)

How To Train Your Dragon (Image via Hulu)

The first How To Train Your Dragon film remains the emotional core of the franchise and the strongest overall entry. The story is about how a dragon named Night Fury and a smart and strange Viking called Hiccup become friends.

Because Toothless is honest and kind, he becomes his friend and a mirror for him. This cartoon movie was a big deal because it had outstanding flying scenes, famous music by John Powell, and important messages about peace and understanding.

The first How to Train Your Dragon movie marked the beginning of a new era for DreamWorks Animation.

2) How To Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)

How To Train Your Dragon 2 (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

The second film in the trilogy matures alongside its characters. In How to Train Your Dragon 2, Hiccup meets his long-lost mother, Valka, again and fights the scary Drago Bludvist.

The death of Stoick, Hiccup's father, makes the scenario even more intense and heartbreaking. The sequel is better than most animated sequels since it moves the story along with additional dragons, world-building, and amazing aerial animation.

3) How To Train Your Dragon (2025)

Live-action movie (Image via Universal Pictures)

The live-action movie brings the classic narrative to life in a new way. The movie was directed by Dean DeBlois and produced by DreamWorks Animation. Mason Thames plays Hiccup, Nico Parker plays Astrid, and Gerard Butler plays Stoick again.

The plot is based on Cressida Cowell's novel and is about Hiccup's journey from being an outsider to a hero as he interacts with a wounded Night Fury named Toothless.

The movie was set in Northern Ireland and had its world debut at CinemaCon. Universal Pictures globally released it on June 13. Moreover, a sequel, adapting the second film, is set for release in June 2027.

4) How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)

The Hidden World (Image via Prime Video)

Hiccup seeks the Hidden World, a famous dragon refuge, in the trilogy's last chapter while hunters threaten Berk. While with Hiccup, Toothless lives his life and falls for a peculiar Light Fury.

Evil Grimmel the Grisly captures Toothless and all dragons with the Light Fury. As the threat grows, Hiccup understands dragons are no longer safe with humans. He must make the horrible decision to release Toothless.

Years later, the film ends with a beautiful scene showing Hiccup and Toothless's success.

The Hidden World's climax is touching, but it doesn't match the preceding two movies' emotional power. The animation is stunning, and the finale is poignant, but the narrative is more about resolution than discovery.

5) How To Train Your Dragon: Homecoming (2019)

Homecoming (Image via Hulu)

This 22-minute short film takes place right before the end of The Hidden World and serves as a direct link between the past and the future. Hiccup and Astrid get ready for Snoggletog with their kids, Zephyr and Nuffink, in the movie.

The pair brings back the ancient Snoggletog Pageant to remind New Berk of the strong link between Vikings and dragons when the youngsters become afraid of them.

Toothless can feel the draw of his previous existence. He and the Light Fury follow his dragon fledglings, the Night Lights, when they fly to New Berk. The dragons discreetly watch the crazy pageant, which ends with Toothless rescuing Hiccup and taking him back to their first flight together.

6) How To Train Your Dragon: Gift of the Night Fury (2011)

Toothless, Hiccup, and Astrid (Image via Peacock)

Set during Berk’s winter holiday, Gift of the Night Fury is a charming short that focuses on quiet, emotional beats between dragons and riders. It focuses on peaceful, emotional moments between dragons and riders. Berk is confused when all the dragons depart the settlement for no apparent reason. Meatlug takes Hiccup with her by mistake.

Hiccup, on the other hand, finds out that the dragons are nesting on an island far away. The people try to cheer themselves up by putting dragon eggs about the hamlet, not knowing that they hatch with a lot of power.

Toothless gets a new tailfin from Hiccup that lets him fly by himself. This is what the short is all about. In a poignant twist of events, Toothless later declines the new tailfin and invites Hiccup to ride with him once more.

The beautiful action shows how close they are to each other: freedom shared, not taken alone.

7) How To Train Your Dragon: Dawn of the Dragon Racers (2014)

Dawn of the Dragon Racers (Image via Netflix)

Among all How to Train Your Dragon entries, Dawn of the Dragon Racers ranks lowest in impact. This short film from 2014 takes place between Defenders of Berk and Race to the Edge. Hiccup and his friends accidentally come up with Berk's favorite activity, which is racing dragons.

The sheep chase starts out as chaos, but it turns into a pleasant race that replaces the village's usual regatta.

There are some humorous and nice sections in the short, but it doesn't have the same emotional depth or stakes as the other entries. The story is more of a fun side trip than a key part of the plot. But it does offer a fascinating backstory to a sport that becomes famous in the sequel.

The How To Train Your Dragon franchise is available for online streaming on Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Peacock.

Edited by Prem Deshpande