Gerard Butler Returning for Live-Action ‘How to Train Your Dragon’

Butler is back as strong-willed Viking chief Stoic the Vast in the new version of the DreamWorks animated fantasy franchise, blending real actors and CG FX.

Presenter Gerard Butler arrives at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA, on Sunday, March 7, 2010. Credit/Provider: Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

Preview:

Gerard Butler is back as Stoic for a new ‘How to Train Your Dragon’.
Mason Thames and Nico Parker are set to star as Hiccup and Astrid.
Regular Director Dean DeBlois is returning to oversee the movie.

While DreamWorks and Universal have so far plumped for new faces in its live-action conversion of the ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ animated franchise, it appears that to play broad, noble Viking chief Stoic the Vast there’s no substituting the person who has played him in the three main movies (and one spin-off TV movie).

Gerard Butler, who brought such character to the role, will be donning Stoic’s trademark hair and armor to bring him to shouty life in reality (or as close as you can get in a movie that’ll be full of CG dragons).

How to Train Your Dragon

"The legend is real."

Not Yet RatedJun 13th, 2025

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On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart, defying centuries of tradition when he befriends... Read the Plot

What’s the story of ‘How to Train Your Dragon’?

Hiccup and Toothless from 'How to Train Your Dragon.'

Adapted from Cressida Cowell’s novel series, which saw its first book hit shelves in 2003, the ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ movies focused on the special friendship between a young and unheroic Viking boy named Hiccup and Toothless, an injured dragon he nurses back to health.

Set in a Viking island-based village called Berk, the story is set in a world where humans see dragons as a problem––either a sheep-stealing nuisance or deadly threat, depending on the type of beast. We followed Hiccup and Toothless’ quest to combat humanity’s prejudice against dragons, the ache of overcoming the loss of a parent, and first love. And uniquely, the films did so by consistently aging the protagonists commensurately with the story, becoming a true coming-of-age story.

‘How to Train Your Dragon’ first took to the cine-skies in 2010 with the successful first outing, which was followed in 2014 by ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’ and in 2019 with the final film in the trilogy (at least so far) ‘How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World’.

Jay Baruchel voiced Hiccup, with the supporting characters of the Viking boy’s friends, including Jonah Hill as Snotlout, Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Fishlegs, T.J. Miller as Tuffnut and Kristen Wiig as Ruffnut.

Who is in the live-action version of ‘How to Train Your Dragon’?

Gerard Butler as Stoick the Vast in 'How to Train Your Dragon.' Photo: Paramount Pictures.

So far, returning filmmaker Dean DeBlois, who handled all three of the theatrical movies (and is back to write, direct and produce this one), has cast fresh faces to play the main characters.

Mason Thames, who appeared in ‘The Black Phone’ (and is returning for the sequel) will be Hiccup, while Nico Parker (of the live-action ‘Dumbo’ and more recently TV’s ‘The Last of Us’) is Astrid.

It remains to be seen whether Deblois taps any of the other voice actors to reprise their roles, though given many were older actors playing teens, it seems doubtful.