Grab your Viking helmet and chart a course for Berk, because Universal Pictures’ live-action “How to Train Your Dragon” just landed on Peacock. Now you can finally watch Universal's $635 million blockbuster from home alongside the original animated "How to Train Your Dragon" trilogy, which arrived on the platform on October 1.
I'd argue only one of them is worth your precious streaming time, but I'm clearly in the minority here. With its near-perfect 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, it's no surprise to see "How to Train Your Dragon" immediately soar to the top of Peacock's streaming charts. While it nabbed the #1 spot, the animated movies are seeing a boost too, with all three movies in the top 10 this week.
Regardless of how I feel about live-action remakes, it's clear to anyone with eyes that they ain't going anywhere anytime soon. Disney's been making beaucoup bucks off of giving its animated classics the live-action treatment, and now that "How to Train Your Dragon" is one of Universal's biggest blockbusters of the year, I expect even more studios to hop on the bandwagon. Live-action remakes are the closest thing to a money printer that Hollywood's had since the pandemic.
But now that both the live-action and animated "How to Train Your Dragon" movies are all on one of the best streaming services, there's only one clear frontrunner as far as I'm concerned. Then again, I've yet to see a live-action remake that's convinced me this trend is anything more than a cash grab in a time when studios are increasingly gun-shy about putting new stories out there.
I'm not saying the remake is unwatchable, but it feels as soulless as the rest. So if you're looking to revisit the high-flying adventures of Hiccup and Toothless, consider checking out the original animated "How to Train Your Dragon" trilogy on Peacock before you hit play on the recent live-action remake.
What is 'How to Train Your Dragon' about?
If you're not familiar with it, I'll give you a quick run-down of the beloved kids' movie. In a world where Vikings and dragons are mortal enemies, a young Viking named Hiccup (Mason Thames) stumbles upon a discovery that will change life as he knows it.
The island of Berk, led by Hiccup's father, Stoick (Gerard Butler), is tormented by dragon attacks that have them hell-bent on slaying every last one. But when Hiccup finds an injured Night Fury, he begins to question everything he's been taught. As he secretly nurses Toothless back to health, the cautious truce between them soon blossoms into an unexpected friendship.
When an even bigger enemy threatens Vikings and dragons alike, Hiccup and Toothless band together to prove that peaceful coexistence is not only possible, but necessary for their continued survival.
Gerard Butler is the remake's only bright spot
How the live-action "How to Train Your Dragon" movie managed a 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is beyond me. It feels like a lifeless carbon-copy, shedding everything that made the original such a magical tale in the first place. The acting is flat and awkward, the humor feels stilted, and while the CGI is as top-of-the-line as expected, "How to Train Your Dragon's" charm never stemmed from its photorealistic designs to begin with.
Now, if you told me 96.5% of that score was based on Gerard Butler's scenes, then suddenly it makes sense to me. Butler voiced the Berk chieftain Stoick in the animated films as well, but he absolutely brought his A-game for the live-action version. Everything about his performance — the delivery, the presence, the humor, even the costume — was spot on. To the point that, because he nailed the role so well, it only made the lack of polish in the rest of the movie more painfully obvious.
The remake is written and directed by Dean DeBlois, who co-directed and co-wrote the 2010 original. I was genuinely rooting for this to be the first live-action remake to capture my heart as much as its source material.
Same with "Lilo and Stitch" given that its director, Dean Fleischer Camp, made one of my favorite movies of all time, "Marcel the Shell with Shoes On." But I walked away from both wondering who the hell these movies are for? Loads of other people, by the looks of it. And I ain't one of them, so I'll just keep on sipping my haterade in the meantime.
Should you stream 'How to Train Your Dragon' on Peacock?
If you're curious about how the live-action "How to Train Your Dragon" compares to the original trilogy, far be it from my nay-saying to stop you. "How to Train Your Dragon" is available to stream exclusively on Peacock as of Friday, October 10. For all the magic you remember, though, nothing compares to the OG "How to Train Your Dragon" trilogy.
In the buildup to the film's release on Peacock, the streaming service kicked off the month by adding "How to Train Your Dragon (2010)," "How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)" and "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)" to its library.
In addition to the animated films, Peacock is also offering a "How to Train Your Dragon" Live-Action Collection, which includes over 90 minutes of bonus content, such as deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes footage, a gag reel, a set tour, featurettes, and more.
Stream "How to Train Your Dragon" on Peacock now
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