You would be forgiven for feeling a sense of déjà vu after watching 2025’s “How to Train Your Dragon.” The live-action remake of the 2010 animated movie of the same name is soaring high at the box office by remaining extremely faithful to its source material. In his review, /Film’s Ethan Anderton even called the film “loyal” to a fault, so much so it struggles to find ways of differentiating itself from the animated original that wormed its way into the hearts of a whole generation.
The “How to Train Your Dragon” remake brings back several key creative players from the 2010 animated film, with co-helmer Dean DeBlois returning to the director’s chair to translate many of his own shots into live-action and composer John Powell revamping his score from the original movie. Of course, there’s also the mighty Gerard Butler, who’s back in tow here as the gruff-but-loving Viking Stoick the Vast.
While Butler might be the only actor to reprise his role from the animated film, the cast is otherwise full of familiar faces. Indeed, audiences will recognize the new Hiccup (Mason Thames) from his starring role in the horror movie “The Black Phone,” while his best friend Fishlegs is played by Julian Dennison, the hilarious veteran of films like “Deadpool 2” and “Hunt for the Wilderpeople.”
Then there is Gobber the Belch, the veteran blacksmith with an extensive collection of handy prostheses for his missing arm, as played by comedian Nick Frost. If you found yourself struggling to remember where you recognize this lovable oaf from, it might be because you’re most used to seeing him standing alongside his better half.
Before Hiccup and Toothless, there was Simon Pegg and Nick Frost
Before he directed Hollywood hits and cult masterpieces like “Scott Pilgrim vs the World,” Edgar Wright broke onto the scene with the wickedly funny British sitcom “Spaced.” The series was also the debut for one of modern comedy’s most loveable duos: Simon Pegg and his best mate Nick Frost.
List most British TV shows, we only got a tiny morsel of “Spaced” episodes to enjoy before the series came to an end. Lucky for us, though, the trio went on to create the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy, which is comprised of zombie-romantic-comedy “Shaun of the Dead,” buddy cop action-comedy “Hot Fuzz,” and the “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” homage “The World’s End.” The common element in each of this triptych of films is Pegg and Frost’s relationship as best friends to the very end, even if it does involve a lot of bloodshed and hurt feelings along the way.
Frost is the lovable heart of each film, bringing a sense of playfulness along with a well of yearning sadness to the characters who you both laugh at and with. Pegg and Frost also rode together once again in the stoner alien comedy “Paul,” while the latter recently returned to his horror-comedy roots by starring in “Get Away.”
“How to Train Your Dragon” isn’t the only blockbuster franchise Frost has joined. He also portrayed the wonky pirate droid SM-33 in the “Star Wars” Disney+ series “Skeleton Crew” and will soon replace Gobber’s prosthetic arm with a wizard’s wand (or, rather, a pink umbrella) when he plays Hagrid in HBO’s “Harry Potter” TV show.
“How to Train Your Dragon” is currently playing in theaters.
