''How to Train Your Dragon'' (abbreviated ''HTTYD'') is an American
media franchise
A media franchise, also known as a multimedia franchise, is a collection of related media in which several derivative works have been produced from an original creative work of fiction, such as a film, a work of literature, a television program or ...
from
DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation LLC (DWA, also known as DreamWorks Animation Studios and simply known as DreamWorks) is an American animation studio that produces animated films and television programs and is a subsidiary of Universal Pictures, a division ...
and loosely based on the eponymous
series of children's books
Series may refer to:
People with the name
* Caroline Series (born 1951), English mathematician, daughter of George Series
* George Series (1920–1995), English physicist
Arts, entertainment, and media
Music
* Series, the ordered sets used i ...
by British author
Cressida Cowell
Cressida Cowell FRSL (born 15 April 1966) is a British children's author, popularly known for the book series, ''How to Train Your Dragon (novel series), How to Train Your Dragon'', which has subsequently become an How to Train Your Dragon (fr ...
. It consists of three feature films: ''
How to Train Your Dragon
''How to Train Your Dragon'' (abbreviated ''HTTYD'') is an American media franchise from DreamWorks Animation and loosely based on the eponymous series of children's books by British author Cressida Cowell. It consists of three feature films: ' ...
'' (2010), ''
How to Train Your Dragon 2
''How to Train Your Dragon 2'' is a 2014 American computer-animated action fantasy film loosely based on the book series of the same name by Cressida Cowell. Produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by 20th Century Fox, it is the sequel ...
'' (2014) and ''
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World'' (2019). The franchise also contains five short films: ''
Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon
''How to Train Your Dragon'' (abbreviated ''HTTYD'') is an American media franchise from DreamWorks Animation and loosely based on the eponymous series of children's books by British author Cressida Cowell. It consists of three feature films: '' ...
'' (2010), ''
Book of Dragons
''How to Train Your Dragon'' (abbreviated ''HTTYD'') is an American media franchise from DreamWorks Animation and loosely based on the eponymous series of children's books by British author Cressida Cowell. It consists of three feature films: '' ...
'' (2010), ''
Gift of the Night Fury
''Gift of the Night Fury'' is a 2011 American computer-animated short film by DreamWorks Animation and directed by Tom Owens. It was released on November 15, 2011 on DVD and Blu-ray, along with another original animated short film ''Book of Dragons ...
'' (2011), ''
Dawn of the Dragon Racers
''Dawn of the Dragon Racers'' is a 2014 computer-animated short film by DreamWorks Animation and directed by Elaine Bogan and John Sanford. Based on the ''How to Train Your Dragon'' film series, the short features the voices of Jay Baruchel and A ...
'' (2014) and ''
How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming'' (2019).
The television series based on the events of the first film, ''
DreamWorks Dragons
''Dragons'', commonly referred to as ''DreamWorks Dragons'', is an American computer-animated television series based on the 2010 film ''How to Train Your Dragon''. The series serves as a bridge between the first film and its 2014 sequel.
Jay ...
'', began airing on
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...
in September 2012. The first and second seasons were titled ''Dragons: Riders of Berk'' and ''Dragons: Defenders of Berk'' respectively. After the two seasons on Cartoon Network, the series was given the new title ''Dragons: Race to the Edge''. The characters are older and it served as a prequel to the second film, running from June 2015 to February 2018.
A second series, titled ''
Dragons: Rescue Riders'', began airing on Netflix in 2019 and features a completely different cast and locale than the original series of films and TV shows, but is set in the same universe. A third series, ''
Dragons: The Nine Realms'', began streaming on
Hulu
Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television serie ...
and
Peacock
Peafowl is a common name for three bird species in the genera ''Pavo (genus), Pavo'' and ''Afropavo'' within the tribe Pavonini of the family Phasianidae, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female pea ...
in December 2021, with ''Rescue Riders'' transferring to Peacock beginning with the third season under the ''Heroes of the Sky'' subtitle. Unlike past entries in the franchise, ''The Nine Realms'' is set in the 21st century, specifically 1,300 years after the events of ''The Hidden World''.
The franchise primarily follows the adventures of a young
Viking
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
named Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (voiced by
Jay Baruchel
Jonathan Adam Saunders Baruchel (; born April 9, 1982) is a Canadian actor, comedian, director and screenwriter. He is known for his voice role as Hiccup Haddock in the ''How to Train Your Dragon'' franchise, and for his roles in comedy movies ...
), son of Stoick the Vast, leader of the Viking island of Berk. Although initially dismissed as a clumsy and underweight misfit, he soon becomes renowned as a courageous expert in
dragons
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
, alongside Toothless, a member of the rare Night Fury breed as his flying mount and his closest companion. Together with his friends, he manages the village's allied dragon population in defense of his home as leader of a
flying corps of dragon riders. Upon becoming leaders of their kind, Hiccup and Toothless are forced to make choices that will truly ensure peace between people and dragons.
Dean DeBlois
Dean DeBlois ( ; born 7 June 1970) is a Canadian film director, film producer, screenwriter, and animator. He is best known for writing and directing the Oscar-nominated animated films ''Lilo & Stitch'' for Walt Disney Animation Studios (with Chr ...
, the director of the film trilogy, described its story as "Hiccup's
coming of age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from being a child to being an adult. The specific age at which this transition takes place varies between societies, as does the nature of the change. It can be a simple legal convention or can b ...
", taking place across a span of five years between the first and second film, and a year between the second and third film.
The film series has been highly acclaimed, with each film nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
The Academy Award for Best Animated Feature is given each year for animated films. An animated feature is defined by the Academy as a film with a running time of more than 40 minutes in which characters' performances are created using a frame-by- ...
, in addition to the first film's nomination for the
Academy Award for Best Original Score
The Academy Award for Best Original Score is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by t ...
.
Films
''How to Train Your Dragon'' (2010)
''How to Train Your Dragon'', the first film in the series, was released on March 26, 2010. It was directed by
Dean DeBlois
Dean DeBlois ( ; born 7 June 1970) is a Canadian film director, film producer, screenwriter, and animator. He is best known for writing and directing the Oscar-nominated animated films ''Lilo & Stitch'' for Walt Disney Animation Studios (with Chr ...
and
Chris Sanders
Christopher Michael Sanders (born March 12, 1962) is an American director, screenwriter, producer, illustrator, and voice actor. His credits include ''Lilo & Stitch'' (2002) and ''How to Train Your Dragon'' (2010), both of which he co-wrote and ...
, and is inspired by the 2003 book of the same name by
Cressida Cowell
Cressida Cowell FRSL (born 15 April 1966) is a British children's author, popularly known for the book series, ''How to Train Your Dragon (novel series), How to Train Your Dragon'', which has subsequently become an How to Train Your Dragon (fr ...
. The story takes place in a mythical
Viking
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
world where a young Viking teenager named Hiccup aspires to follow his tribe's tradition of becoming a dragon slayer. After finally capturing his first dragon, and with his chance of finally gaining the tribe's acceptance, he finds that he no longer has the desire to kill the dragon and instead befriends it. The film grossed nearly $500 million worldwide, and was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
The Academy Award for Best Animated Feature is given each year for animated films. An animated feature is defined by the Academy as a film with a running time of more than 40 minutes in which characters' performances are created using a frame-by- ...
.
''How to Train Your Dragon 2'' (2014)
A sequel, ''How to Train Your Dragon 2'', was confirmed on April 27, 2010. The film was written and directed by DeBlois, the co-director of the first film.
Bonnie Arnold
Bonnie Arnold is an American film producer and executive who has worked at Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Feature Animation, Pixar Animation Studios and DreamWorks Animation. Arnold was born in Atlanta, Georgia and rose to prominence ...
, the producer of the first film, also returned, with Sanders, who co-directed the first film, only exec-producing this time due to his involvement with ''
The Croods
''The Croods'' is a 2013 American computer-animated adventure comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The film was written and directed by Kirk DeMicco and Chris Sanders, and stars the voices of Nicola ...
'' and its sequel until the latter was delayed. The film was released on June 13, 2014. It was announced that the entire original voice cast – Baruchel, Butler, Ferguson, Ferrera, Hill, Mintz-Plasse, Miller and Wiig – would return for the sequel. New cast includes
Kit Harington
Christopher Catesby Harington (born 26 December 1986) is an English actor who is widely known for his role as Jon Snow in the HBO epic fantasy television series ''Game of Thrones'' (2011–2019).
After studying at the Royal Central School o ...
as Eret,
Cate Blanchett
Catherine Elise Blanchett (; born 14 May 1969) is an Australian actor. Regarded as one of the finest performers of her generation, she is known for her versatile work across independent films, blockbusters, and the stage. She has received nu ...
as Valka, and
Djimon Hounsou
Djimon Gaston Hounsou (; ; born April 24, 1964) is a Beninese-American actor and model. He began his career appearing in music videos. He made his film debut in '' Without You I'm Nothing'' (1990) and earned widespread recognition for his role as ...
as Drago Bludvist.
John Powell, the composer of the first film's score, returned for the second and third film.
Set five years after the events of the original film, Hiccup and Toothless have successfully united dragons and Vikings. Now 20 years old, Hiccup is pressed to succeed his father as chieftain. When he discovers a group of dragon trappers led by Drago Bludvist, he goes on a quest to find Drago, while also coming across his long-lost mother Valka.
''How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World'' (2019)
In December 2010, DreamWorks CEO
Jeffrey Katzenberg
Jeffrey Katzenberg (; born December 21, 1950) is an American filmmaker, animator, and media proprietor. He became well known for his tenure as chairman of Walt Disney Studios from 1984 to 1994. After departing Disney, he was a co-founder and CE ...
confirmed that there would also be a third film in the series: "''How To Train Your Dragon'' is at least three: maybe more, but we know there are at least three chapters to that story." DeBlois, the writer, and director of the second and the third film, said that ''How to Train Your Dragon 2'' is being intentionally designed as the second act of the trilogy: "There are certain characters and situations that come into play in the second film that will have to become much more crucial to the story by the third."
The film's release date was changed several times. In September 2012,
20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
and DreamWorks Animation announced an initial release date of June 18, 2016,
which was later changed to June 16, 2016. It was then moved to June 9, 2017,
and later to May 18, 2018, taking over the release date of
Warner Animation Group
The Warner Animation Group (WAG) is an American animation studio serving as the computer-animated feature film label of Warner Bros.' theatrical film production and distribution division, Warner Bros. Pictures. Established on January 7, 2013, th ...
's ''
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part''. On December 5, 2016, the release date was pushed back again to March 2, 2019. This was the first DreamWorks Animation film to be distributed by
Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...
, after
NBCUniversal
NBCUniversal Media, LLC is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate corporation owned by Comcast and headquartered at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, United States.
NBCUniversal is primari ...
's acquisition of the company in 2016,
and followed DreamWorks' departure from 20th Century Fox after 2017's ''
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie''.
The film was produced by Arnold, and exec-produced by DeBlois and Sanders.
Baruchel, Butler, Blanchett, Ferguson, Ferrera, Hill, Mintz-Plasse, Harington and Wiig reprised their roles from previous films.
F. Murray Abraham
F. Murray Abraham (born Murray Abraham; October 24, 1939) is an American actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen, he came to prominence for his acclaimed leading role as Antonio Salieri in the drama film '' Amadeus'' (1984) for which he wo ...
joined the cast as the film's main villain, Grimmel.
Set one year after the events of the second film, Hiccup had become the new chieftain of Berk for dragons and Vikings. His late father told a younger Hiccup to seek out the haven of dragons, known as the "Hidden World". Upon discovering a female Fury dragon, Toothless initiates a new bond with her. The Night Fury killer, Grimmel the Grisly, sets out to find and kill Toothless, prompting Hiccup to choose between keeping the dragons or letting them all go.
Television series
''DreamWorks Dragons'' (2012–2018)
On October 12, 2010, it was announced that
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...
had acquired worldwide broadcast rights to a weekly animated series based on the movie, which was scheduled to begin sometime in 2012. In January 2011, producer
Tim Johnson confirmed that work had begun on the series and that, unlike the TV series spin-offs of the films ''
Madagascar
Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
'', ''
Kung Fu Panda
''Kung Fu Panda'' is an American media franchise that originally started in 2008 with the release of the animated feature film of the same name, produced by DreamWorks Animation. Following the adventures of the titular Po Ping (primarily voic ...
'' and ''
Monsters vs. Aliens
''Monsters vs. Aliens'' is a 2009 American 3D computer-animated monster comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film was directed by Conrad Vernon and Rob Letterman from a screenplay written by L ...
'', ''How To Train Your Dragons series is much darker and deeper, like the movie. The show is the first DreamWorks Animation series that airs on Cartoon Network instead of
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television television channel, channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its List of assets owned by Param ...
, unlike previous series such as ''
The Penguins of Madagascar
''The Penguins of Madagascar'' is an American computer-animated television series co-produced by DreamWorks Animation and Nickelodeon. It stars nine characters from DreamWorks' animated film ''Madagascar'': the penguins Skipper ( Tom McGrath) ...
'', ''
Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness'' and ''
Monsters vs. Aliens
''Monsters vs. Aliens'' is a 2009 American 3D computer-animated monster comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film was directed by Conrad Vernon and Rob Letterman from a screenplay written by L ...
''.
Although it was announced that the series would be called ''Dragons: The Series'',
TV promos shown in June 2012 revealed a new title – ''Dragons: Riders of Berk''. The series began airing in the third quarter of 2012.
John Sanford, the director of seven episodes in the first season, confirmed that there would also be a second season. Jay Baruchel, who voiced Hiccup, also stars in the series, as well as America Ferrera (Astrid), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Fishlegs), and T. J. Miller (Tuffnut).
The second season is accompanied with the new subtitle, ''Defenders of Berk'', replacing the previous ''Riders of Berk'' subtitle.
Starting with the third season, the series moved to
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
and is accompanied by the subtitle ''Race to the Edge''.
''DreamWorks Dragons: Rescue Riders'' (2019–2022)
A preschool-oriented spin-off, ''DreamWorks Dragons: Rescue Riders'' was released on Netflix on September 27, 2019.
''DreamWorks Dragons: The Nine Realms'' (2021–present)
On October 13, 2021, DreamWorks announced ''DreamWorks Dragons: The Nine Realms'', set 1,300 years after ''The Hidden World''. The six-episode series was released on
Peacock
Peafowl is a common name for three bird species in the genera ''Pavo (genus), Pavo'' and ''Afropavo'' within the tribe Pavonini of the family Phasianidae, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female pea ...
and
Hulu
Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television serie ...
on December 23, 2021. ''The Nine Realms'' stars
Jeremy Shada
Jeremy Shada () is an American actor, musician and singer. He is best known for his work as the voice of Finn the Human from the American animated television series ''Adventure Time'' and Lance in '' Voltron: Legendary Defender''. He is also know ...
, and is executive produced by showrunner John Tellegen, Chuck Austen and Henry Gilroy.
Short films
''Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon'' (2010)
''Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon'' is a 16 minute sequel short film to the feature film ''How to Train Your Dragon''. The short was originally broadcast on television on October 14, 2010, on
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...
, and released next day as a special feature on Blu-ray and double DVD edition of the original feature film.
The film follows Hiccup and his young fellows accompanying their mentor, Gobber, on a quest to kill the legendary Boneknapper Dragon. About half the film is done in traditional animation, showing Gobber's history and his encounters with the Boneknapper, and how he comes to look like he does now.
''Book of Dragons'' (2011)
''Book of Dragons'' is an 18-minute
short film, based on ''How to Train Your Dragon'', and was released on November 15, 2011, on DVD and Blu-ray, along with ''Gift of the Night Fury''. The short shows Hiccup, Astrid, Fishlegs, Toothless and Gobber telling the legend behind the Book of Dragons and revealing insider training secrets about new, never before seen dragons. The short shows a total of 14 different dragons, each separated into 7 classes: Stoker (Terrible Terror, Monstrous Nightmare), Boulder (Gronckle, Whispering Death), Fear (Hideous Zippleback, Snaptrapper), Sharp (Deadly Ladder, Timberjack), Tidal (Scauldron, Thunderdrum), Mystery (Changewing, Boneknapper) and Strike (Skrill, Night Fury).
''Gift of the Night Fury'' (2011)
''Light of the Night Fury'' is a 22-minute How to Train Your Dragon Christmas special, directed by Tom Owens. It was released on November 15, 2011, on DVD and Blu-ray, along with ''Book of Dragons''.
Based on ''
How to Train Your Dragon
''How to Train Your Dragon'' (abbreviated ''HTTYD'') is an American media franchise from DreamWorks Animation and loosely based on the eponymous series of children's books by British author Cressida Cowell. It consists of three feature films: ' ...
'', the short takes place in the middle of preparing for the Viking winter holiday, 'Snoggletog', when suddenly all the dragons inexplicably go on a mass migration, except for Toothless, so Hiccup gives him something to help.
''Dawn of the Dragon Racers'' (2014)
A 25-minute
short film, titled ''Dawn of the Dragon Racers'', was released on November 11, 2014, on the DVD/Blu-ray/digital release of ''How to Train Your Dragon 2''.
It was released on DVD separately on March 3, 2015, and it also includes ''
Book of Dragons
''How to Train Your Dragon'' (abbreviated ''HTTYD'') is an American media franchise from DreamWorks Animation and loosely based on the eponymous series of children's books by British author Cressida Cowell. It consists of three feature films: '' ...
'' and ''
Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon
''How to Train Your Dragon'' (abbreviated ''HTTYD'') is an American media franchise from DreamWorks Animation and loosely based on the eponymous series of children's books by British author Cressida Cowell. It consists of three feature films: '' ...
''. It was directed by John Sanford and Elaine Bogan, and it features the voices of Jay Baruchel and America Ferrera
along with the cast from the television series. In the short, a hunt for a lost sheep turns into a competition between Hiccup and his friends for the first title of Dragon Racing Champion of Berk.
''How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming'' (2019)
''How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming'' is a 22-minute holiday special which aired on
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
on December 3, 2019. It is set ten years after the dragons left the Vikings in ''
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World'', but within the film's epilogue. Hiccup and Astrid's children believe dragons are dangerous monsters after finding Stoick's old journals, leading Hiccup and Astrid to bring back the Snoggletog Pageant in order to convince them otherwise. Meanwhile, Toothless and the Light Fury's three Night Light children come to New Berk looking for Hiccup, prompting their parents to go after them.
''Snoggletog Log'' (2019)
''Snoggletog Log'' is a 28-minute
slow television
Slow television, or slow TV ( no, sakte-TV), is a term used for a genre of "marathon" television coverage of an ordinary event in its complete length. Its name is derived both from the long endurance of the broadcast as well as from the natural sl ...
short film inspired by
''The Yule Log''; it is a single continuous 28-minute shot of a Christmas fireplace, with various gags involving the franchise's main characters, Viking and dragon alike, happening every so often. It has been available on
Hulu
Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television serie ...
since the 2019 holiday season.
Video games
* An
action adventure
Action may refer to:
* Action (narrative), a literary mode
* Action fiction, a type of genre fiction
* Action game, a genre of video game
Film
* Action film, a genre of film
* ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford
* ''Action'' (1980 fil ...
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
released by
Activision
Activision Publishing, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in Santa Monica, California. It serves as the publishing business for its parent company, Activision Blizzard, and consists of several subsidiary studios. Activision is one o ...
called ''
How to Train Your Dragon
''How to Train Your Dragon'' (abbreviated ''HTTYD'') is an American media franchise from DreamWorks Animation and loosely based on the eponymous series of children's books by British author Cressida Cowell. It consists of three feature films: ' ...
'' was released for the
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
,
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation ...
,
PS3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on November 11, 2006, in Japan, November ...
and
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
gaming consoles. It is loosely based on the film and was released on March 23, 2010.
* ''
Super Star Kartz''
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
was released by Activision on November 15, 2011, for
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
,
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation ...
,
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
,
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
, and
Nintendo 3DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. As an eighth-generatio ...
. The game features 14 different characters from
DreamWorks DreamWorks may refer to:
* DreamWorks Pictures, an American film production company of Amblin
** DreamWorks Television, an American television production company and division of the film studio
** DreamWorks Records, an American record label and f ...
' films – ''How to Train Your Dragon'', ''
Madagascar
Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
'', ''
Shrek
''Shrek'' is a 2001 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 book of the same name by William Steig. It is the first installment in the ''Shrek'' franchise. The film was directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenso ...
'', and ''
Monsters vs. Aliens
''Monsters vs. Aliens'' is a 2009 American 3D computer-animated monster comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film was directed by Conrad Vernon and Rob Letterman from a screenplay written by L ...
''.
* ''Dragons: TapDragonDrop'', a mobile video game, developed by PikPok, was released on May 3, 2012, on
App Store
An App Store (or app marketplace) is a type of digital distribution platform for computer software called applications, often in a mobile context. Apps provide a specific set of functions which, by definition, do not include the running of the co ...
for
iPhone,
iPad
The iPad is a brand of iOS and iPadOS-based tablet computers that are developed by Apple Inc. The iPad was conceived before the related iPhone but the iPhone was developed and released first. Speculation about the development, operating s ...
and
iPod Touch
The iPod Touch (stylized as iPod touch) is a discontinued line of iOS-based mobile devices designed and marketed by Apple Inc. with a touchscreen-controlled user interface. As with other iPod models, the iPod Touch can be used as a music pl ...
.
* ''Dragons: Wild Skies'', a 3D virtual world game based on the television series ''
DreamWorks Dragons
''Dragons'', commonly referred to as ''DreamWorks Dragons'', is an American computer-animated television series based on the 2010 film ''How to Train Your Dragon''. The series serves as a bridge between the first film and its 2014 sequel.
Jay ...
'' has been launched on August 27, 2012, on CartoonNetwork.com. The game allows players to find, train and ride wild dragons, including new ones as they are introduced in the series.
* ''School of Dragons'', a 3D educational
massively multiplayer online role-playing game
A massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) is a video game that combines aspects of a role-playing video game and a massively multiplayer online game.
As in role-playing games (RPGs), the player assumes the role of a Player charac ...
produced by
JumpStart
''JumpStart'' (known as ''Jump Ahead'' in the United Kingdom) is an educational media franchise for children, consisting mostly of educational games, produced by JumpStart Games. The series originally consisted of a series of educational PC gam ...
, game concept was co-created by Producer David Jaloza and Lead Designer Justin Prate was released online in July 2013,
after a month-long beta testing.
A
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
version was released in October 2013, followed by an
iPad
The iPad is a brand of iOS and iPadOS-based tablet computers that are developed by Apple Inc. The iPad was conceived before the related iPhone but the iPhone was developed and released first. Speculation about the development, operating s ...
app in December 2013, a version for
Android-powered tablets in March 2014,
and a version for the PC in 2014. In the game, each player is able to adopt, raise and train a dragon, while learning how they function.
* ''Dragons Adventure'', an
augmented reality
Augmented reality (AR) is an interactive experience that combines the real world and computer-generated content. The content can span multiple sensory modalities, including visual, auditory, haptic, somatosensory and olfactory. AR can be de ...
game, was released in November 2013, exclusively for
Nokia Lumia 2520
The Nokia Lumia 2520 is a Windows RT tablet computer originally developed by Nokia. It is Nokia's first and only Microsoft Windows, Windows-based tablet, and the company's first tablet since its Nokia Internet Tablet line. Sharing its design and ...
.
* ''Dragons: Rise of Berk'' is a free game which allows players to build their own Berk village, send Hiccup and Toothless out on exploration, hatch and collect up to 30 dragons and train their own dragon at the academy. Developed by
Ludia
Ludia is a video game developer based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada that creates and distributes cross-platform digital games with mass consumer appeal. Ludia produces original and branded properties based on game shows, television series, movies, ...
, it was released in May 2014 for iOS, and on June 20, 2014, for
Android and
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
.
* ''
How to Train Your Dragon 2
''How to Train Your Dragon 2'' is a 2014 American computer-animated action fantasy film loosely based on the book series of the same name by Cressida Cowell. Produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by 20th Century Fox, it is the sequel ...
'', an action adventure game, was released in June 2014 for Xbox 360, Nintendo 3DS, Wii, Wii U and PlayStation 3.
The game was published by Little Orbit.
* Canadian developer
Ludia
Ludia is a video game developer based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada that creates and distributes cross-platform digital games with mass consumer appeal. Ludia produces original and branded properties based on game shows, television series, movies, ...
announced ''Dragons: Titan Uprising'' in November 2018, for release in early 2019.
*''Dragons: Dawn of New Riders'', an action adventure game, developed by
Climax Studios
Climax Studios is a British video game developer based in Portsmouth that is best known for their work on the 2004 action role-playing game '' Sudeki'' and the 2007 and 2009 survival horror video games '' Silent Hill: Origins'' and '' Silent ...
and released in 2019 for
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
,
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
,
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
and PC. The game involves the playable characters Scribbler and Patch on their quest to defeat Eir, by exploring the world and its puzzle and battle elements.
*''Dragons: Legends of the Nine Realms'', an action adventure game, developed by Aheartfulofgames and released in 2022 for
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
,
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
,
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
and PC.
Literature
Comic books
A series of comic books, titled ''Dragons: Riders of Berk'', were released by Titan Comics, starting with the first volume, ''Dragon Down'', on April 30, 2014. The comics were written by
Simon Furman
Simon Christopher Francis Furman (born 22 March 1961) is a British people, British Script (comics), comic book writer who is best known for his work on Hasbro's ''Transformers'' franchise, starting with writing Marvel Comics, Marvel's The Tran ...
and drawn by Iwan Nazif.
Other volumes are ''Dangers of the Deep'' (2014), ''The Ice Castle'' (2015), ''The Stowaway'' (2015), ''The Legend of Ragnarok'' (2015), and ''Underworld'' (2015). Two more comic books were published on February 24, 2016, titled ''Dragons: Defenders of Berk''. The following volumes are ''The Endless Night'' (2016) and ''Snowmageddon'' (2016).
Graphic novels
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, and manga publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, Oregon comic book shops known ...
have released a series of graphic novels based on the franchise, starting with ''How to Train Your Dragon: The Serpent's Heir'' in 2016.
The series was co-written by Dean DeBlois, writer and director of the film series, and Richard Hamilton, writer of ''Dragons: Race to the Edge'', with the production designer of ''How to Train Your Dragon 2'', Pierre-Olivier Vincent, providing cover artwork.
The series took place between the events of second and third film, with the first novel picking up right after the conclusion of the second film.
Live performance
Ice show
A Broadway-style production titled ''How To Train Your Dragon On Ice'' is currently on
Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas.
Arena show
![Hiccup, Toothless, How to Train Your Dragon Live Spectacular](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Hiccup%2C_Toothless%2C_How_to_Train_Your_Dragon_Live_Spectacular.jpg)
''How to Train Your Dragon Live Spectacular'' or ''How to Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular'' is an arena show adaptation of the original film. The show is being produced in partnership with
Global Creatures
Global Creatures is a live entertainment company based in Sydney, Australia with offices in New York and London. It is privately owned by Gerry Ryan (businessman), Gerry Ryan and Carmen Pavlovic and is best known for Walking with Dinosaurs#The Are ...
, the company behind another arena show ''
Walking with Dinosaurs – The Arena Spectacular'', and directed by Nigel Jamieson. The score was composed by
John Powell and
Jónsi
Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson (; born 23 April 1975) is an Icelandic musician; he is the vocalist and multi-instrumentalist for the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós. He is known for his use of a cello bow on guitar and his "angelic" falset ...
from
Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós () is an Icelandic post-rock band from Reykjavík, active since 1994. The band comprises singer and guitarist Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson, bassist Georg Hólm, and keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson. Known for their ethereal sound, fron ...
. ''Arena Spectacular'' features 24 animatronic dragons – 10 different species in various sizes: Nadder, Gronckle, Monstrous Nightmare, Night Fury (Toothless), Red Death, Skrill, Stinger, Kite Dragon, Zippleback and Egg Biter. It also features villagers and Vikings, including Hiccup (Rarmian Newton/Riley Miner), Astrid (Sarah McCreanor/Gemma Nguyen), Stoick (Robert Morgan), and Gobber (Will Watkins).
The show premiered as ''How to Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular'' on March 3, 2012, in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, Australia, and was followed by a New Zealand tour in April 2012. Renamed to ''How to Train Your Dragon Live Spectacular'', it toured United States and Canada between June 2012 and January 2013,
when it was cancelled in favour of taking the show to China where it premiered in July 2014. It was also planned to come to England but was later scrapped due to an increase in market demand in China.
Theme parks
Heide Park
In 2016, the German theme park
Heide Park
Heide Park Resort, commonly known as Heide Park, is a theme park in Soltau, Lower Saxony, Germany. With an overall area of over 850,000 m2 (210 acres), it is the largest amusement park in Northern Germany and among the largest in the country. ...
created a whole section of the park offering various rides based on the franchise called "''How to Train Your Dragon'': The Island". It offers three different flying attractions and a boat ride where guests venture into the dark Dragon Caves to meet and help Hiccup, Toothless and their friends.
Motiongate Dubai
The Dubai Hollywood-inspired theme park
Motiongate Dubai
Motiongate Dubai (shortly known as Motiongate) is a Hollywood-inspired theme park located in Dubai Parks and Resorts, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, showcasing themed areas and attractions based on DreamWorks Animation, Columbia Pictures, Lionsgat ...
also features a section of the park based on the films and television series. The most prominent attraction is the hanging roller coaster named "Dragon Gliders". Riders join Hiccup, Toothless, Astrid, and Stormfly in flying through the caves of the Forbidden Island, where they come across an unexpected threat. Guests can also meet and greet with Hiccup, Toothless, and Astrid.
Universal Studios
To promote ''How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World'',
Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida (also known as Universal Studios or USF) is a theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Primarily themed to movies, television and other aspects of the entertainment industry, the park opened to the public on June 7, 1990 ...
briefly had a limited-time virtual reality experience where guests could experience riding on Toothless, while
Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood is a film studio and theme park
An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusemen ...
allowed visitors to meet and greet with Toothless. In addition, it is rumored that a HTTYD land is in the works for
Universal Orlando Resort
Universal Orlando Resort, commonly known as Universal Orlando or simply Universal, formerly Universal Studios Escape, is an American theme park and entertainment resort complex based in Orlando, Florida. The resort is operated by Universal Par ...
's newest theme park,
Epic Universe
Universal Epic Universe is an upcoming theme park under construction in Orlando, Florida. Announced in August 2019, the park will be the fourth theme park at Universal Orlando Resort. Construction was delayed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic ...
, including a
Gerstlauer
Gerstlauer Amusement Rides GmbH is a German manufacturer of stationary and transportable amusement rides and roller coasters, located in Münsterhausen, Germany.
History
In 1982, Hubert Gerstlauer, a former employee of the Anton Schwarzkopf-o ...
Sky Fly, an attraction similar to a
MACK Rides "Splash Battle", and an over-water rollercoaster.
Dreamworks Waterpark
A
Proslide
ProSlide Technology, Inc. is a Canadian designer and manufacturer of water rides and water park resorts. They design and manufacture both traditional slides and innovative rides such as water coasters, funnel-shaped Tornado slides, and Bowl slid ...
KrakenRACER mat racing slide called Dragon Racers opened at
DreamWorks Water Park
DreamWorks Water Park is an indoor water park within the American Dream shopping and entertainment complex, at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States. The park opened on October 1, 2020. The water park incl ...
at
American Dream in
East Rutherford NJ on October 1, 2020, along with a Proslide and the world's tallest and longest hydromagnetic water coaster called Toothless Trickling Torpedo.
Reception
Box office
Having earned over $1.6 billion worldwide, ''How to Train Your Dragon'' is the
13th highest-grossing animated franchise.
Critical and public response
Accolades
The franchise was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
The Academy Award for Best Animated Feature is given each year for animated films. An animated feature is defined by the Academy as a film with a running time of more than 40 minutes in which characters' performances are created using a frame-by- ...
, the
Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Animated Feature
The Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Animated Feature is an award given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Broadcast Film Critics Association. The award was presented annually from 1998 to 2019. ''Toy Story'' is the only f ...
, and the
Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film
The Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film is a Golden Globe Award that was awarded for the first time at the 64th Golden Globe Awards in 2007. It was the first time that the Golden Globe Awards had created a separate category for anim ...
.
Recurring cast and characters
Additional crew and production details
References
External links
*
DreamWorks Animation's School of Dragons
{{Portal bar, Cartoon, Animation
Animated films about dragons
Animated film series
Computer-animated films
DreamWorks Animation franchises
Universal Pictures franchises
Universal Pictures
Film series introduced in 2010
Films set in the Viking Age
American animated fantasy films
Dragons in popular culture
Children's film series
Anime-influenced Western animation