How to Train Your Dragon Live-Action Remake Adds Nick Frost

A fan-favorite How to Train Your Dragon character has been cast for the upcoming live-action remake. On Thursday, a report from The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Nick Frost has joined the cast of the live-action How to Train Your Dragon, which will premiere in 2025. Frost will portray Gobber the Belch, who is an ally of the leader of the Vikings, Stoick the Vast. 

The character of Gobber was previously portrayed by Craig Ferguson in the animated movies, and Chris Edgerly in the franchise's various spin-off media. Frost is best known for starring in Edgar Wright's Cornetto Trilogy of movies, as well as appearances in Attack the Block, Tomb Raider, and Paul. 

Who Stars in the Live-Action How to Train Your Dragon?

Last year, it was announced that Mason Thames and Nico Parker have been cast as the lead roles of Hiccup and Astrid in How to Train Your Dragon. Thames is best known for starring in The Black Phone, as well as stints on Walker and For All Mankind. Parker portrayed Sarah Miller in the premiere episode of HBO's The Last of Us, and also had roles in Dumbo and The Third Day. They will be joined by Gerard Butler, who is reprising his role of Stoick the Vast from the animated How to Train Your Dragon movies.

The live-action How to Train Your Dragon will be written, directed, and produced by Dean DeBlois, who will be making his live-action debut after spearheading much of the animated franchise. Marc Platt, whose work includes Legally Blonde and the studio's upcoming Wicked movie, will be producing.

What Are the How to Train Your Dragon Movies About?

This will be the first instance of an animated DreamWorks franchise being carried over into live-action. Loosely based on the books of Cressida Cowell, the How to Train Your Dragon franchise spanned three films from 2010 to 2019, which starred Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera, and Craig Ferguson. It also led to multiple short films and television spinoffs including DreamWorks Dragons, DreamWorks Dragons: Rescue Rider, and DreamWorks Dragons: The Nine Realms.

"We definitely wanted it to feel hopeful but also conclusive," DeBlois previously said of a potential reboot. "And I think what we tried to do was deliver a satisfying ending that ultimately meant that Hiccup and Toothless would go their separate ways, but also reassure the audience it was for the best, that we see them thrive in their adulthood. For me it's a satisfying end, and that was the intention, to really kind of bring it back to the disappearance of dragons and having them kind of fall away into legend, but we the audience kind of know they're still around. And beyond that, I don't own the franchise, so I think if Dreamworks wanted to open it up again at some point, I would hope that it a different timeline, different characters, with the Hiccup/Toothless story remained intact."

What do you think of Nick Frost joining the live-action How to Train Your Dragon remake? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

How to Train Your Dragon is set to be released exclusively in theaters on June 13, 2025.