After a three-week run at the number one spot, the dominance of “Lilo & Stitch” on the box office charts has been dethroned by another live-action adaptation of an animated original, namely Universal’s “How to Train Your Dragon“. According to Deadline, it’s anticipated that this movie will rake in approximately $82.7 million domestically during its initial three days. This is the most impressive opening for any film within the How to Train Your Dragon series, surpassing the $55 million earned by “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” in 2019. Additionally, the live-action remake is projected to earn over $200 million worldwide this weekend.
In the box office race this weekend, it’s predicted that “Lilo & Stitch” will secure the runner-up position with approximately $14.6 million. The third spot is likely to go to the fresh release, “Materialists,” a romantic comedy directed by Celine Song, which is expected to earn around $12 million during its premiere week. Completing the top five are two action movies: “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” with an estimated $9.3 million and “From the World of John Wick: Ballerina,” bringing in about $8.7 million.
It was widely anticipated that the remake of “How to Train Your Dragon” would be a significant box office success. With its premiere approaching, initial forecasts suggested it could earn over $75 million domestically during its opening week. Remarkably, the film surpassed these early predictions. Already, Universal Pictures is preparing for a live-action adaptation of “How to Train Your Dragon 2”, set to release in cinemas in 2027.
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Beyond being a fresh perspective on a cherished series, “How to Train Your Dragon” gained strength from positive word-of-mouth recommendations. Despite its low Rotten Tomatoes score for the franchise being a record-breaker, its 77% rating is still impressive enough to maintain the Certified Fresh status. Critics also view it as an instance where live-action remakes are successfully executed, though it may not always recapture the enchantment of the original.
Considering that ‘Lilo & Stitch’ is approaching the $1 billion milestone, it was intriguing to ponder if there would be enough interest for another family-friendly live-action remake so soon after Disney’s hit made waves. It’s promising to see that ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ not only set a new franchise record at the box office, but also exceeded initial expectations. This suggests it will do well in the long run. The upcoming release of Pixar’s ‘Elio’, another family-focused film, emphasizes the importance of ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ having a strong opening. With a production budget of only $150 million, it’s well on its way to making a profit. Even if ‘Elio’ outperforms it next week, ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ is in a very favorable position, particularly when considering its international earnings.
It’s evident that Universal had faith in a live-action adaptation of the How to Train Your Dragon series, and this belief has proven profitable. With the sequel now officially underway, director Dean DeBlois mentioned potential spinoffs delving deeper into the series’ intricate lore. As Universal aims to elevate How to Train Your Dragon as one of its flagship franchises, possibilities are endless, making it intriguing to see how the filmmakers will push boundaries in future projects.
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2025-06-14 21:09