How to Train Your Dragon

How to Train Your Dragon is a 2010 3D computer animated fantasy film from DreamWorks Animation, directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois. It was based loosely on the 2003 book of the same name by author Cressida Cowell. The screenplay credits Sanders, DeBlois, and William Davies. The film premiered at Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles on March 21, 2010, and Paramount Pictures released it in the United States on March 26. Its voice cast includes Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz Plasse, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wiig, and David Tennant. Powell composed its score. Set on the Viking island of Berk, the story follows Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, the slight son of chieftain Stoick the Vast. Berk's Vikings have long fought dragons, and Stoick expects Hiccup to prove himself in dragon training. Hiccup instead uses a bola launcher to down a Night Fury, a rare dragon no one has identified. When he finds the injured animal, he cannot bring himself to kill it. He names it Toothless after seeing its retractable teeth and gradually earns its trust. Their friendship changes Hiccup's understanding of dragons and creates conflict with his father and Berk's warrior traditions. During training, Hiccup learns that dragons respond to particular gestures and that Toothless cannot fly properly without the missing half of his tail. He designs a mechanical replacement tail fin and rides Toothless by controlling it in flight. Astrid Hofferson discovers the pair and eventually joins Hiccup in protecting Toothless. The central threat is the Red Death, a gigantic dragon that forces other dragons to gather food in its nest. Hiccup ultimately uses Toothless's speed and fire to confront it, while Stoick recognizes his son's courage and the possibility of coexistence between Vikings and dragons. The final battle changes Berk. The production employed animation techniques to give dragon flight weight and speed, while Roger Deakins served as visual consultant. Composer John Powell wrote the score, whose themes became associated with the series. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature and for Best Original Score. At the 2010 Annie Awards, it won ten prizes, including Best Animated Feature. Its worldwide box office was 494 million dollars. The success led to two theatrical sequels, How to Train Your Dragon 2 in 2014 and The Hidden World in 2019. It also inspired series including Dragons Race to the Edge