How to Train Your Dragon 2’s Remake Could Solve the Original’s Pacing

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DreamWorks’ live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon, released on Netflix in 2025, quickly became one of the platform’s most popular titles. Despite some criticism of the trend of turning animated favorites into live-action movies, this remake has proven successful. It earned over $636 million with a $150 million budget, and while critics weren’t overly enthusiastic, audiences have given it a strong 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

It’s no surprise that a new version of How to Train Your Dragon 2 is being made. The first remake closely followed the original animated film, but director and writer Dean DeBlois has suggested this one will be different. He told SyFy he wants to improve on some aspects of the first remake, fixing things he and his team now feel they could have done better. While fans love How to Train Your Dragon 2, it had one weakness, and this remake is a chance to fix it.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 Was More Ambitious Than the First Film

The story in How to Train Your Dragon 2 was much more complex than the first movie. The main conflict involved a villain named Drago Bludvist, who wanted to destroy the island of Berk using an army of dragons he’d captured. The film also spent a lot of time showing Hiccup reconnecting with

Hiccup also experienced significant character development throughout the film. However, the filmmakers had to fit all of this into a relatively short runtime of 102 minutes, which made the story feel fast-paced and occasionally rushed. Important moments didn’t have enough time to fully resonate before moving on to the next scene.

The new live-action version of How to Train Your Dragon is 27 minutes longer than the original animated movie. While it used this extra time to include additional storylines and details that fans might find interesting, these additions didn’t really change the main plot. The next movie could use its longer length more effectively by taking a more deliberate pace, allowing for deeper exploration of characters and key plot points from the original animated film.

The Live-Action How to Train Your Dragon 2 Can Spend More Time With Its Characters

I always felt like Valka’s family life deserved a bit more attention in the story. It was heartbreaking seeing her separated from Hiccup and Stoick, and while it wasn’t their fault she stayed away for twenty years, it was her decision. That choice, and the way it affected Hiccup when they finally met – that mix of joy and resentment he clearly felt towards her for leaving – could have created some really powerful and compelling drama. It felt like a missed opportunity to explore those complex emotions more deeply.

The movie glossed over this moment with just a few lines. Valka asked Hiccup if he was okay, and he awkwardly replied that it was a lot to process. The conversation ended there, which lessened the emotional impact of their reunion.

Valka, like Stoick, didn’t have much time with her husband on screen. Their one beautiful moment – singing “For the Dancing and the Dreaming” together – was lovely, but very short. Showing more of their relationship would have made viewers care even more about them, making their eventual separation even more heartbreaking.

Sequels can be disappointing, but they also offer a chance to improve on the first story and fix any problems. This is particularly true when the original director returns, like with How to Train Your Dragon. How to Train Your Dragon 2 was already a great movie, and the new remake could make the story even better.

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2026-02-15 21:36