Netflix is popular right now because of a new fantasy movie that quickly became their most-watched title. The film is a remake of a beloved animated classic, which is always a risk, but it successfully honored the original while also impressing critics. Now, with Netflix’s wide reach, it’s gaining even more viewers and becoming a huge success.
The live-action How to Train Your Dragon movie has quickly become the most popular title on Netflix and remains there two days after its release. Originally released in theaters in June 2025 and previously available on Peacock, the film is now reaching a much larger audience on Netflix, and viewers have been eagerly anticipating its arrival.
Why Is How to Train Your Dragon‘s Live-Action Remake So Popular?
With a worldwide gross of over $636 million, How to Train Your Dragon stands out as a successful remake of a beloved animated classic. Dreamworks invested heavily—with a $150 million budget—to create a visually stunning, photo-realistic blockbuster using motion-capture technology. The film features a strong cast, including Mason Thames (known for The Black Phone) as Hiccup and Gerard Butler returning as his father, Stoick the Vast. Importantly, Dean DeBlois, who co-directed the original animated movie, also directed this live-action version, adding a level of genuine connection to the source material.
The biggest hurdle for the 2025 live-action film, How to Train Your Dragon, was bringing the beloved character of Toothless to life. The animated Toothless became a huge success for Dreamworks, becoming as iconic as Shrek and Po from Kung Fu Panda. But the new film impressed viewers with its realistic CGI version of Toothless, making every scale look incredibly lifelike. Crucially, Toothless’s expressions and feelings felt genuine and stayed true to the animated character that fans adore. The heartwarming bond between Hiccup and Toothless remained strong in the remake, making the story feel fresh and relatable for a new audience.
In a review for ComicBook, the 2025 live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon was praised as a model for how remakes should be done. Critic Nicole Drum explained that the film perfectly captures what a live-action adaptation of an animated movie needs to be: respectful of the source material while also improving upon it. Rather than attempting to change the story, it creates a fantastical experience that feels even more believable, potentially rekindling a belief in dragons.
There’s More Live-Action How to Train Your Dragon Coming
Following the strong performance of the How to Train Your Dragon remake, Universal Pictures is moving forward with plans to remake the entire animated trilogy. As of today, work on How to Train Your Dragon 2 is already underway. Universal announced the sequel at CinemaCon 2025 last April, with a planned release date of June 11, 2027. Filming began in London in late January, and Cate Blanchett will reprise her role from the animated films (spoiler alert!). Ted Lasso star Phil Dunster is also joining the cast as the dragon-trapper, Eret.
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2026-02-12 20:10