After 2025's live-action, a la Disney. Although the movie is sure to be popular, some backlash is almost inevitable.
There is a lot to look forward to when it comes to How to Train Your Dragon. The movie is written and directed by Dean DeBlois, who helmed the animated How to Train Your Dragon movies, which means the story's integrity will almost definitely be maintained. Furthermore, Gerard Butler, who voiced Hiccup's father in the original, is also reprising his role in the live-action adaptation. With the addition of CGI dragons and an appropriately young cast, this movie could be a box office hit when it premieres in June 2025. The only problem is its premature casting controversy.
The Backlash To Nico Parker's Astrid Casting Explained
Race & Movie Casting History Explained
Although many audience are excited by How to Train Your Dragon's live-action cast, others are not too pleased. The main issue seems to be the casting of Nico Parker as Astrid. In the original How to Train Your Dragon, Astrid appeared as a White woman, yet Parker is Black. Many have argued that Parker's race does not make sense because Vikings were historically White. Some have gone so far as to claim that Parker's casting is cultural appropriation. DeBlois has responded to these critiques by noting that How to Train Your Dragon is fantasy, not history.
How To Train Your Dragon Director Responds To Astrid Live-Action Casting Backlash: "We're Crafting A Fantasy, Not Historical Fact"
How to Train Your Dragon director Dean DeBlois defends the casting of Nico Parker in the live-action version of the original animated movie.
The backlash against Parker's casting is not anything new in Hollywood. In the last few years, many remakes and adaptations have changed the race of certain characters. In 2014, Quvenzhané Wallis played the iconic red-haired orphan Annie, and many viewers disliked this change. More recently, the casting of Halle Bailey as Ariel in Disney's live-action The Little Mermaid also made audiences upset. Ultimately, these arguments bring up important questions about diverse representation in movies and how much creative integrity remakes are allowed to have. It seems like this type of debate will not be going away any time soon.
Why The Astrid Casting Backlash Is Absurd
How To Train Your Dragon Is Far From Historical Accuracy
The backlash against Parker's casting as Astrid is generally ridiculous. Society may have an image in their heads of what Vikings looked like, but this idea is probably far from reality. As DeBlois explained on Instagram, Vikings were nomadic and traveled far and wide. In this way, it is entirely possible that there were Black Vikings. Even then, this argument about historical accuracy is pointless. Perhaps Black people were not Vikings, but there is no such thing as dragons either. If How to Train Your Dragon was supposed to be historically accurate, then there wouldn't be much of a movie.
To reiterate DeBlois's main argument, How to Train Your Dragon is supposed to be a dragon fantasy movie. Because of this, the race of the characters is irrelevant. On top of that, DeBlois has pointed out that in the live-action iteration, the dragonriders come from all walks of life, so Parker's race makes sense. For audiences, the most important aspect of casting should be whether that actor can successfully portray the character. According to DeBlois, Parker gave the best audition, so viewers should trust that, regardless of her skin color, Parker can embody Astrid's personality.
The Astrid Backlash Won't Hurt How To Train Your Dragon
How Successful Will How To Train Your Dragon Be
Fortunately, the backlash against How to Train Your Dragon's cast probably won't have a massive effect on the success of the film. The Little Mermaid received notable backlash, yet went on to make $569 million at the box office. These arguments against actors' race is certainly disheartening, but it does not completely ruin a movie's image or chances of positive reaction. It is likely that these arguments will settle down over time, and eventually, will be forgotten completely.
How To Train Your Dragon's Live-Action Trailer Proves The Biggest Fear About DreamWorks' Adaptation Was Right All Along
DreamWorks' decision to remake How to Train Your Dragon so soon after the animated saga ended is a strange one, and the trailer is worrying.
In general, 2025's How to Train Your Dragon looks like it could be a really amazing movie. The animated franchise was a box office and critical hit, which means the live-action adaptation could easily be the same. In a media landscape that is bursting with remakes and sequels, this is one live-action remake that feels deserved. How to Train Your Dragon could be considered an underrated gem, so its new life as a live-action movie could be a really great step forward for the franchise, regardless of its controversy.
How to Train Your Dragon
- Release Date
- June 13, 2025
- Runtime
- 116 Minutes
- Director
- Dean DeBlois
- Writers
- Dean DeBlois
- Franchise(s)
- How to Train Your Dragon
Cast
Mason ThamesHiccup Horrendous Haddock III
Astrid Hofferson
Gerard ButlerStoick the Vast
Nick FrostGobber the Belch
How to Train Your Dragon, set on the Viking island of Berk, follows Hiccup, a young Viking who challenges tradition by befriending a Night Fury dragon named Toothless. Their bond reveals new insights about dragons and transforms Viking society's understanding of these creatures.
- Studio(s)
- DreamWorks Pictures
