Tim | 23 mag 2025
How to Train Your Dragon: Everything You Need to Know
Over 15 years after the animated classic How to Train Your Dragon, DreamWorks is soaring back into theaters with a live-action remake in 2025. Whether you’re in need of a refresher or a nostalgic trip down memory lane, we’ve got you covered with a rundown of the story and its main characters. But before we dive in, let’s take a quick detour into the origins of the Dragonverse.
A Dozen Children’s Books and a Genetically Modified Alien
How to Train Your Dragon remains the most successful DreamWorks Animation film—not counting Shrek, of course. Which, let’s face it, started coming and didn’t stop coming, fed to the rules and hit the box office running. And like the repugnant green Ogre, How to Train Your Dragon is based on a book! Namely the children’s book series of the same name by Cressida Cowell, which spans twelve novels to date.
If Toothless ever reminded you of a genetically engineered creature with big eyes and a thing for Elvis tunes – you’re not imagining things. The creative duo behind the first movie, Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, also brought us Lilo & Stitch. They handled both script and direction, and that’s worth noting because DeBlois is taking on both roles again for the remake. Whether that’s out of love for continuity or just smart business, we’re here for it. Who better to retell the story than someone who helped shape it?
What It’s All About
If you haven’t watched the trilogy, seen the three TV shows (yep, 223 episodes), or read all twelve books – here’s the short version:
On the Viking island of Berk, where humans and dragons have waged war for generations, young Hiccup doesn’t quite fit the mold. The clever but underestimated son of the formidable Stoick the Vast breaks with centuries of tradition when he forms an unlikely bond with Toothless—a rare and feared Night Fury. Together, they uncover the true nature of dragons, challenging everything the Viking world believes. With the determined Astrid at his side and the village’s eccentric blacksmith in tow, Hiccup must face a world ruled by fear and misunderstanding—just as an ancient threat rises, endangering dragons and humans alike.
The Main Characters
Some names have been dropped already, but let’s take a closer look at some of the Vikings and dragons that shape this world.
Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III
No, Hiccup isn’t just what happens after a fizzy drink—it’s the name of Berk’s unlikely dragon-whisperer and the story’s main protagonist. As the son of chieftain Stoick the Vast, Hiccup is expected to be all brawn and bravado. Instead, he’s scrawny, inventive, and way ahead of his time. While Stoick champions strength, tradition, and authority, Hiccup’s greatest asset is one trait that makes him an outsider at first—but ultimately a revolutionary: empathy.
Astrid Hofferson
Astrid is everything Stoick wishes Hiccup were: driven, athletic, confident, and fiercely ambitious—a natural-born leader. At first, she sees Hiccup as the pampered chief’s son dodging responsibility. But as their paths intertwine, Astrid becomes Hiccup’s most trusted ally in reshaping the world of Vikings and dragons.
Night Fury
Toothless, the dragon protagonist, belongs to a rare species and might be its last remaining individual: the Night Fury. Or, if you prefer something a bit more dramatic, the "unholy offspring of lightning and death itself." Despite his (somewhat) menacing appearance, Toothless is curious, playful, and highly intelligent–even though he sometimes seems more like a mischievous cat than a fire-breathing beast. His pitch-black scales make him nearly invisible at night, and his massive wings paired with unique tail fins make him the fastest and most agile dragon around. He can also retract his teeth, which is how he earned his name.
Deadly Nadder
With its bright colors, the Deadly Nadder looks more like a tropical bird than a dragon. It walks on two legs, has an exceptional sense of smell, and a spiky tail it uses in battle. It also sports mood-revealing spikes on its head. In the film, we meet Stormfly – a smart but extremely vain Nadder. Agile, tough, and fiercely loyal, Stormfly makes an invaluable ally – or a fearsome enemy.
Gruesome Gronckle
Imagine crossing a walrus with a bumblebee, then adding the reflexes of a sloth and the armor of a rhino – that’s a Gronckle. They may not look like fearsome warriors, especially when they nod off mid-flight, but don’t be fooled. Gronckles eat rocks and convert them into molten lava bombs. A weaponized digestive system – what’s not to love?
Hideous Zippleback
Here’s a rare one—a two-headed dragon with two totally different personalities packed into a single body. In the films, the heads are called Barf and Belch, who are constantly at each other’s throats—except when they’re busy blowing things up, which they do spectacularly well. One head lets out a flammable gas, while the other ignites it into a fiery explosion.
Monstrous Nightmare
The name says it all. The Monstrous Nightmare is a massive, flamboyant dragon that can literally set itself ablaze. Fiercely proud and fearless, it throws itself into battle headfirst, relying almost entirely on brute strength. In the movie, this fiery powerhouse is named Hookfang—a reckless hothead who takes the greatest pleasure in doing exactly the opposite of what he’s told.
Terrible Terror
Half the size, twice the chaos. The Terrible Terror is the smallest known dragon species, with tiny bodies and oversized eyes that make them dangerously adorable. But don’t be fooled—they travel in packs, move with lightning agility, and strike with deadly precision.