The upcoming live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon appears to be following in the footsteps of The Lord of the Rings, which could be key to boosting the franchise's live-action future. Due for release in 2025, How to Train Your Dragons looks to be a faithful recreation of the modern animated classic, especially considering the source material released so far. This wasn't necessarily a safe bet, given the mixed reception live-action remakes of animated films have received in recent years.
In fact, the trailer's focus on the original films' big emotional storyline suggests that How to Train Your Dragon is attempting to replicate the energy that elevated the original above other fantasy productions. It's the kind of approach that made Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy so successful, as it managed to capture the authentic spirit of J.R.R. Tolkien's original novels. If the film delivers on that promise, the live-action version of How to Train Your Dragon could become a modern successor to the successful adaptation of The Lord of the Rings.
Director: Dean DeBlois
Writers: Dean DeBlois, Cressida CowellWilliam Davies
Stars: Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gerard Butler
How to Train Your Dragon appears to capture the spirit of the original films, potentially following The Lord of the Rings' example of adapting a fantasy epic. The trailer for the upcoming live-action How to Train Your Dragon is an exciting update for the franchise, bringing the story of the first film to life for a new generation. Images from the trailer indicate that the film masterfully recreates Berk's sense of wonder and danger while also adapting to the sensibilities of modern-day live-action adventure stories.
Capturing the tone of the source material is an important attribute in any fantasy adaptation, as seen in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. These films fully embraced the adventure, tragedy, and grand romantic elements of the original texts, while also drawing on elements that worked better in live action than in prose, such as Tom Bombadil. At the heart of both stories is the emotional bond between the heroes, such as the friendship between Frodo and Sam or the empathy Hiccup finds with Toothless. The trailer makes it clear that this was the primary focus of the live-action film, which is a crucial discovery.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy was a success in many ways, and one of the most impressive elements of the film trilogy was the way it unapologetically addressed the deep emotional ups and downs of the original story. Peter Jackson's trilogy committed to those themes, authentically recreating the epic fantasy storyline. These elements, more than the huge battles and awe-inspiring landscapes, make the films enduringly captivating more than two decades after their release. Authentically recreating the core themes of the source material elevated the trilogy and could be the key to the future of How to Train Your Dragon.
How to Train Your Dragon has a lot of history to play with and could lay the groundwork for a grand adventure thanks to the world established in the three animated films that serve as its source material. The core of those films was the emotional arc of Hiccup and Toothless. By making the connection between Hiccup and Toothless clear in the trailer, it's clear that the film recognizes the importance of those emotional threads. If the full film manages to replicate those elements in its entirety, How to Train Your Dragon could become a true modern successor to The Lord of the Rings.
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