Rowan’s notes
I went into this trailer with my arms crossed. The 2010 animated film is one of those things I rewatch every winter, and the idea of remaking it with real actors felt like tracing over a drawing you already love.
Then Toothless walks into frame and the whole argument falls apart. The design is barely changed — same huge eyes, same cat-like head tilt — but now he has weight. You can see him shift his balance before he moves. Dean DeBlois, who directed the animated trilogy, came back for this one, and you can tell by how carefully the trailer protects the creature’s personality.
Mason Thames makes a believable Hiccup, Nico Parker gets a proper Astrid moment, and Gerard Butler returning as Stoick is the kind of casting that makes you grin. It’s the newest entry because it has been on a loop in my flat for a week.
Stills from the trailer
What to watch for
- The first full shot of Toothless — notice how little the design was touched.
- The cliffs and sea stacks of Berk, which look like they were filmed somewhere very cold and very real.
- The flight shots near the end, carried by that familiar theme.
