How to Train Your Dragon 2 Crew Member Suffers Major Injury During Sequel’s Production

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Last summer proved very successful for live-action remakes of animated films. Disney’s ‘Lilo & Stitch’ became a major box office hit, earning over a billion dollars worldwide. Universal also successfully revived the ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ series, bringing back the original director, Dean DeBlois, and voice actor Gerard Butler (as Stoick the Vast) to maintain the story’s feel. That film grossed over $636 million globally.

Following the popularity of the first film, a sequel was quickly greenlit. Given that How to Train Your Dragon already has a well-established animated series, the new live-action show has the potential to either continue the existing stories or create its own. Production on How to Train Your Dragon 2 began earlier this year with a planned release in 2027, but unfortunately, filming has been marred by an on-set accident that has reportedly caused a crew member to suffer a permanent injury.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 Crew Member Injured

A special effects technician was injured while working on the set of How to Train Your Dragon 2 at Sky Studios Elstree. According to Variety, the accident happened in a workshop involving a saw, and unfortunately resulted in the loss of multiple fingers on one hand. Despite surgery, the fingers could not be reattached. Universal Studios has not yet commented on the incident.

Like any job, working on movie and TV sets carries a risk of accidents and injuries. For example, filming on the new Spider-Man: Brand New Day movie was temporarily stopped last year when Tom Holland got a minor concussion. This isn’t new – back in 2014, production on Star Wars: The Force Awakens was halted after Harrison Ford broke his leg when a door malfunctioned, which ultimately pushed back the film’s release date.

Last year, Bectu, the UK union for broadcasting, entertainment, and theatre professionals, spoke out against the practice of “breaking turnaround.” This happens when union members are required to come back to work just hours after finishing a previous shift.

As a film buff, I’m really concerned about how quick turnarounds are affecting the people who make the movies and shows I love. I was reading a report from Bectu, and their National Secretary, Spencer Macdonald, explained that it’s leading to exhausted crews, more accidents and near misses on set, and a real toll on people’s mental health. It’s not just about making a film; it’s about the wellbeing of the folks working on it, and their lives outside of work. Bectu is fighting to improve working conditions and get better protections for everyone involved, and that’s something I definitely support.

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2026-04-21 19:22