How to Train Your Dragon
Teaser Poster
Directed by	Chris Sanders Dean DeBlois
Produced by	Bonnie Arnold Michael Connolly Tim Johnson
Written by	Dean DeBlois Chris Sanders Story: Cressida Cowell
Starring	Jay Baruchel America Ferrera Jonah Hill Gerard Butler Christopher Mintz-Plasse Craig Ferguson
Music by	John Powell
Editing by	Darren Holmes
Studio	DreamWorks Animation Mad Hatter Entertainment
Distributed by	DreamWorks Paramount Pictures Universal Pictures International
Release date(s)	March 26, 2010
Country	United States
Language	English

How to Train Your Dragon (also known as How to Train Your Dragon 3D) is an upcoming computer-animated film by DreamWorks Animation based on the 2003 book of that same title. The film stars the voice talents of Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Gerard Butler, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Craig Ferguson. The film is scheduled to be released on March 26, 2010.^[1] This is also the second movie Jonah Hill and Christopher Mintz-Plasse will be together in since 2007's Superbad.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Production and marketing 3 Reception 4 Cast and characters 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Plot

The film is set in a mythical world of vikings and dragons. The story centers around a viking teenager named Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), who lives on the island of Berk, where fighting dragons is a way of life. The teen’s smarts and offbeat sense of humor is disliked by his tribe and its chief, Hiccup’s father. However, when Hiccup is included in Dragon Training with the other viking teens, he sees his chance to prove he has what it takes to be a fighter. After he entangles a dragon with a bolas-shooting cannon, Hiccup releases and ends up befriending the dragon. This relationship flips his world upside down as he strives to convince his tribe that they do not need to be dragon-slayers.

[edit] Production and marketing

In initial development, the plot followed the original novel closely but was then altered. About halfway through production, Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois took over as co-directors. The original plot was "heavily loyal to the book" but was regarded as geared to a too-young demographic and too "sweet" and "whimsical", according to Baruchel.^[2] In the novel, Hiccup's dragon Toothless is incredibly small for a dragon. In the film, Toothless is a Night Fury, the rarest of all dragons, and is large enough to serve as a flying mount for both Hiccup and the girl Astrid.

An advance screening resulted in a financial analyst projecting the film to be a major boost for the studio due to a strong marketing plan, merchandising opportunities and potential for sequels. The trailer was released prior to showings of A Christmas Carol and the film was expected to be heavily promoted during the 2010 Winter Olympics prior to its release date of March 26, 2010.^[3] The videogame of the same name will be produced by Activision.

[edit] Reception

The film was cited as one reason Baruchel was named as one of the top 10 new actors to watch by MSNBC/Entertainment Weekly.^[4]

[edit] Cast and characters

• Jay Baruchel as Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third - The main character of the film and son of chief Stoick the Vast. According to his cousin Snotlout, he is nothing like his father, is not suited to be the future chief, and is wimpy. Hiccup finds and befriends an injured dragon named Toothless, bringing into conflict his new friendship and the village's tradition of dragon-fighting.^[5]

• Gerard Butler as Stoick the Vast - The short-tempered chief of the Hairy Hooligan tribe. He hopes his son will mature up and become strong enough to be chief one day, but it does not seem to go well for him.^[5]

• Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Fishlegs - Fishlegs is Hiccup's best friend who does not seem to be good at any of the subjects that the teachers in the Viking training program teach. Fishlegs is nervous and frightened to do perilous things at times, but remains Hiccup's best friend. He owns a dragon named Horrorcow.^[5]

• Jonah Hill as Snotface Snotlout - The son of Hiccup's uncle, making him and Hiccup cousins. Snotlout hopes to be the chief one day, but Hiccup is the heir (in fact, if something happened to Hiccup, he'd be next in line for the job), which has spawned a hatred between them. He is strong and muscular, and is good at being a Viking. Snotlout owns a dragon named Fireworm.^[5]

• America Ferrera as Astrid. A young viking girl who goes to school with Hiccup, and perhaps Hiccup's love interest.

• Craig Ferguson as Gobber the Belch, the head teacher in charge of the Viking Initiation Program. He's loud, short-tempered, and finds everyone in his program pathetic.^[6]

[edit] See also

• How To Train Your Dragon - Official site
• List of animated feature-length films
• List of computer-animated films

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Site
• How to Train Your Dragon at the Internet Movie Database
• How to Train Your Dragon (film) at the Big Cartoon DataBase

v • d • e DreamWorks Animation Computer-animated films Antz (1998) · Shrek (2001) · Shrek 2 (2004) · Shark Tale (2004) · Madagascar (2005) · Over the Hedge (2006) · Shrek the Third (2007) · Bee Movie (2007) · Kung Fu Panda (2008) · Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) · Monsters vs. Aliens (2009) 2D-animated films The Prince of Egypt (1998) · The Road to El Dorado (2000) · Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) · Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003) Films produced with Aardman Animations Chicken Run (2000) · Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) · Flushed Away (2006) Future films How to Train Your Dragon (2010) · Shrek Forever After (2010) · MegaMind (2010) · Kung Fu Panda 2: The Kaboom of Doom (2011) · Madagascar 3 (2012)  • The Guardians of Childhood (2012) Computer-animated TV series Father of the Pride (2004-2005) · The Penguins of Madagascar (2008-present) 2D-animated TV series Toonsylvania (1998) · Invasion America (1998) · Alienators: Evolution Continues (2001) Television specials Shrek the Halls (2007) · Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space (2009) · Merry Madagascar (2009) Direct-to-video Joseph: King of Dreams (2000) Direct-to-DVD Operation: DVD Premiere (2010) Shorts Shrek 4-D (2003) · The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper (2005) · Hammy's Boomerang Adventure (2006) · First Flight (2006) · Secrets of the Furious Five (2008)