Record-Breaking Remake: “How To Train Your Dragon” Scores Highest in 15 Years on Rotten Tomatoes!

The newly released live-action version of How to Train Your Dragon has achieved an unprecedented Rotten Tomatoes audience score. This film marks DreamWorks’ first venture into live-action adaptations, centering on the relationship between Hiccup (played by Mason Thames) and the dragon Toothless. Initial reactions at CinemaCon 2025 were highly favorable, and the critics’ reviews have largely echoed this sentiment, resulting in a debut score of 77% on Rotten Tomatoes. Although this is the lowest score within the franchise, the live-action How to Train Your Dragon is generating considerable buzz as it begins its theatrical run.

According to Rotten Tomatoes, the live-action How to Train Your Dragon starts off with a groundbreaking audience score. With over 500 ratings from viewers, the live-action adaptation currently boasts an almost perfect 99% on the Popcornmeter. While the audience score may change as more people watch the film, it currently surpasses the original 2010 movie, which scored 91%.

The Significance of How To Train Your Dragon’s Audience Score for DreamWorks

Early Skepticism Surrounding the Need for a Remake

The audience score for How to Train Your Dragon represents a significant triumph for Universal, addressing one of the major criticisms prior to the film’s release. The remake faced several controversies, including the casting of Nico Parker as Astrid, with many online questioning the need for this new version. Initially, the trailers suggested that the live-action film was almost a direct copy of the original. However, Dean DeBlois, the director of both the original trilogy and this remake, defended his approach by aiming to enhance the original content.

While the live-action How to Train Your Dragon largely replicates the original film, it introduces a few subtle modifications. Certain scenes, such as Hiccup’s encounters with the Terrible Terrors and the blacksmith scene, were omitted. Moreover, the film includes an additional 23 minutes of footage, providing a more in-depth exploration of Astrid’s character. The overall tone of the movie is also darker and more serious, a change that fits the live-action format. Despite these changes, the positive audience reaction seems largely due to the film’s loyalty to the 2010 original and the well-received adjustments.

ScreenRant‘s Sarah Moran gave How to Train Your Dragon an 8 out of 10 stars, praising the studio’s initial foray into live-action filmmaking. Highlights of the praise included the impressive visuals, strong performances by the cast, and DeBlois’ direction. Here’s a snippet from her review:

DeBlois has successfully created a film that honors the animated original while also serving as an exhilarating summer blockbuster filled with spectacle and emotion. It recaptures the excitement of the first viewing. He wisely retained certain scenes unchanged while tweaking others for the live-action format. It’s somewhat surprising how well How To Train Your Dragon works as a live-action remake, especially when many others have failed. DeBlois clearly approached this project with a resolve to match, if not enhance, his previous work.

Insights on How To Train Your Dragon’s Exceptional RT Score

The Live-Action Film Perfectly Captures Nostalgia

With a 99% Popcornmeter score, it’s clear that the live-action film has resonated well with audiences, capturing essential elements like Toothless’ design that evoke nostalgia. However, it’s important to note that this contrasts sharply with the mixed reactions to Disney’s live-action remakes, such as those for Snow White and Lilo & Stitch, which have been more controversial even after their releases. So far, this doesn’t seem to be the case with How to Train Your Dragon, though opinions could shift in the coming weeks.

The positive audience reception to the live-action remake also provides a substantial boost for the future of the franchise. A month prior to the movie’s release, Universal had already greenlit the development of How to Train Your Dragon 2. While such early commitments can be risky, the initial approval has evidently heightened anticipation for the sequel, scheduled for release in June 2027.