Stoick the Vast is not just the (presumed) single father of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, he is also the chief of the Hooligan Tribe and allegedly popped a dragon’s head clean off of its shoulders when he was a baby. Do I believe it? Yes, yes I do. At times Stoick’s dedication to doing things “the Viking way” made him appear stubborn, close-minded, and a source of frustration for Hiccup, but at his core, Stoick is a loving father who only wants what’s best for his son. “How To Train Your Dragon 2” sees him make a devastating decision to prove where his heart has always been, and a moment that is only going to hit even harder if the live-action adaptation is a success and inspires a follow-up feature.
A Scottish actor, “How To Train Your Dragon” will also allow Butler to act with his natural dialect, which means I’ll most certainly be crying if I get to watch him say “You’re as beautiful as the day I lost you.” Celebrity stunt casting often hurts animated films, but every once in a while, an actor will throw themself into the art of voiceover work and transform a character into something very special. Gerard Butler is one of those people, and I have no doubt that he’s going to absolutely dazzle us in the role in live action.
The live-action remake of “How To Train Your Dragon” is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on June 13, 2025.