Gerard Butler told us the one thing that sold him on the How To Train Your Dragon live-action remake.

Prepare for all your childhood memories to come flooding back with the return of How To Train Your Dragon.

DreamWorks' 2025 live-action adaptation brings the beloved animated classic to new heights, blending spectacular visuals with the wholesome story fans know and love.

The reboot is directed by Dean DeBlois, who helmed the original trilogy.

Set on the rugged island of Berk, the film follows Hiccup (Mason Thames), the inventive but underestimated son of Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler, reprising his role).

In a society where Vikings and dragons are sworn enemies, Hiccup's world is upended when he befriends an adorable dragon he names Toothless.

Their secret friendship goes against Hiccup's family's dragon-hunting tradition, especially after Hiccup begins dragon-slaying training, alongside the town's best fighter, Astrid (Nico Parker).

Watch the trailer. Post continues after video.

A sequel to the live-action How To Train Your Dragon is already in the works and slated for release in 2027.

I was lucky enough to speak to the stars of the film ahead of its release. Gerard Butler was thrilled to get the chance to bring Stoick to life after voicing the character in the animated trilogy, which began in 2010.

"I was sad when we called an end to it, because I had such an enjoyable time doing it. Every time we made a movie, they became part of the folklore, part of the culture, and then it was gone," he said.

"The chance to come back and actually don the suit… I'm not just the voice, but I'm all of Stoick — that was both a challenge and a fun adventure."

And becoming Stoick was no small feat. The transformation meant sitting in hair and makeup for hours while having an intricate beard attached, before climbing into heavy costumes.

"The full costume is very cumbersome," he reflected on the brutal process.

"That costume weighed 92 pounds (41 kilos) so I had to get used to that weight, because the first time I tried it on, I was like, 'Wait, I'm supposed to wear this for 12 hours a day?' That's a lot… but that was my everyday life."

Gerard Butler in How To Train Your Dragon. Image: DreamWorks.

But as an actor known for his big-budget action roles, the one major draw-card for Butler was making a film his nieces could enjoy, too.

"I've made a lot of movies that I couldn't watch with my nieces, so it was lovely to make one where they could come to the premiere and we could sit and watch it together," he said.

"The relationship between Toothless and Hiccup is adorable, emotional, and has so many powerful themes and messages in it."

A big part of the film is the fractured relationship between Stoick and his son, Hiccup, and Butler said working with Mason Thames was a highlight.

"He's a tremendous actor. I'm excited for his future," he said.

Mason plays Hiccup in How To Train Your Dragon. Image: DreamWorks.

"It was cool because I had spent so long as Stoick, I could show him the ropes in some respect, and show him the kind of commitment and how much you had to bring to this."

In an interview with Mason Thames and Nico Parker, they spoke about working with Butler for the first time.

"I remember when I first met Gerry, I was so scared. I didn't know what he was gonna be like," Thames recalled.

"But he's so nice, so calm, and he has this energy to him… he walks in the room and it just kind of brings up the energy. And then everybody gets excited again. He just makes everyone laugh. He's a funny guy."

Parker added, "Some of my favourite scenes in the movie are you and Gerry, because you guys have a chemistry that feels both organic and true."

The opportunity to play the iconic characters of Hiccup and Astrid were the roles of a lifetime for the young actors.

"Me and Mason are both the ultimate How to Train Your Dragon fans. I think most people in our generation are as well, but we very much kind of grew up with them," Parker said.

Nico Parker and Mason Thames in How To Train Your Dragon. Image: DreamWorks.

The fact that these stars will live on forever as heroes in the eyes of children around the world is a concept they both found a little daunting.

"That's so stressful," Parker laughed. "It's obviously a privilege and an honour to be able to get to play these parts that you know me and Mason as childhood heroes… I hope kids like us — it would suck if they didn't."

Thames quickly cut in to add, "I've already seen so many reactions of little girls coming up to Nico, and it's the most adorable thing ever. Nico as Astrid in this film is going to inspire so many young girls, and just seeing that is so incredible."

It's a movie that the duo is overjoyed to be a part of.

"If you love the original, I think you'll really enjoy this. To me, it really feels like a love letter to the original," Thames said.

"The original is such a perfect film and we didn't want to change anything or fix something because nothing needed to be fixed. We're bringing it to a new generation with amazing action sequences and so much heart, and the chance to expand the story."

Meanwhile, Butler hopes that viewers enjoy the sense of escapism the film brings. "I hope people have an incredible sense of escape and entertainment," he said.

"I think it's incredibly funny, it's so emotional, and ultimately, it's a very uplifting and inspirational, so I hope that's what they get out of it."

Feature image: Dreamworks.