‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Live Action Movie Casts Hiccup and Astrid
Fans of the “How to Train Your Dragon” movie and television franchise can rejoice – the live action movie has
Ivy Griffith
Fans of the “How to Train Your Dragon” movie and television franchise can rejoice – the live action movie has just cast their Hiccup and Astrid.
And it’s all good news.
The series comes from books by Cressida Cowell of the same name, and explores the growing pains of a young Viking named Hiccup who is chafing under the shadow of his clan chief father. Hiccup belongs to a group of Vikings who live in an ocean cliffside village, and they’re in constant conflict with the area’s other native residents: dragons.
Hiccup befriends the most dangerous of all dragons, a night fury he names Toothless, and they embark on a journey to save both the Vikings of Berk and the dragons who they come to love and protect.
At Hiccup’s side is his best friend Astrid, who befriends her own dragon and becomes a stalwart protector and advocate for the various beasties.
There are now multiple movies and television series that follow the young dragon-riders as they reshape the future of Berk in a more dragon-friendly image. The series touches on topics that include coming of age, coping with the death of a parent, dealing with friendship conflicts and more.
In the animated movies, America Ferrera voiced Astrid and Jay Baruchel played the voice of Hiccup.
But for the live action movie, Universal is tapping Mason Thames to play Hiccup, and Nico Parker to play Astrid.
Fans will recognize Thames from Universal’s horror hit movie “The Black Phone.”
Parker is best known for her role in “The Last of US.”
The Hollywood Reporter writes, “Fifteen-year old Thames appeared on three episodes of Apple TV’s acclaimed drama, For All Mankind, before nabbing the lead in Black Phone, Scott Derrickson’s adaptation of the Joe Hill short story produced by Blumhouse and released by Universal 2022. The movie proved to be a box office and commercial hit, putting Thames on the radar for other teen roles.
The actor now has two movies in the can, coming-of-age party comedy, Incoming, and adventure-thriller Boys of Summer with Mel Gibson. He is repped by WME and Brillstein Entertainment.
Parker made her acting debut as a lead in Tim Burton’s live-action adaptation of Dumbo, made by Disney in 2019. She did a stint on HBO series The Third Day opposite Jude Law and Naomie Harris and appeared in Lisa Joy’s sci-fi mind-bender Reminiscence with Hugh Jackman. In Last of Us, one of the biggest hits from HBO in years, she played the daughter of the dangerous would-be lone wolf survivor played by Pedro Pascal.
The actress, who will be seen next in opposite Woody Harrelson and Laura Linney in Laura Chinn’s Suncoast, is repped by WME and Curtis Brown.”
Director Dean DeBlois is taking the helm, and the studio has set a tentative release date for March 14, 2025.
It’s the perfect opportunity for Universal to show off their special effects chops as they work to compete with other studios that have, in recent years, exploded into the new realm of computer-generated imagery.