Actors Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gerard Butler, and director Dean DeBlois sit down with Fandango correspondent Zuri Hall to talk about their live-action adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon.
In the film, Thames stars as Hiccup, the clever but underestimated son of Chief Stoick (Butler), who breaks Viking tradition by becoming friends with a powerful dragon named Toothless. In the interview, director Dean DeBlois talks about what inspired him to revisit the story in live action, while the cast reflects on their favorite scenes to film and what it was like stepping into the world of one of the most beloved animated franchises.
Zuri Hall for Fandango: Which scene were each of you most excited to recreate in live action?
Mason Thames: I feel like the obvious answer is “Test Drive.” I was really excited for that. But also the arena scene, because there’s just so much depth to that scene and so much going on. When Hiccup knows he’s about to let his Dad down, and Astrid comes, and they have that moment together that’s so special. You know, he shows the village that, after his whole life trying to be one of them and wanting to make his Dad proud, he finally accepts that he’s different, and that’s okay. And that was a fun scene.
Gerard Butler: The scene that I loved that I didn’t know I was gonna love was the scene when I’m first talking, you know, when I’m presenting to everybody in the Great Hall. And not that I’m a big fan of making speeches all the time. But that turned out to be so much fun the way it was written, and having hundreds of vikings in there. I’m not just saying this, but my favorite scenes were definitely with this man [Thames], because they were the scenes with the heart and the story, the father-son element, and that’s like theater when you’re in there.
How To Train Your Dragon is now playing in theaters.
