As Hiccup, the 17-year-old actor is shouldering the weight of Universal’s new live-action franchise — and living out his childhood fantasy.

On the set of the live-action movie, Toothless and the other dragons existed as large puppets with simple functions, operated by a team of master puppeteers led by Tom Wilton, a performer who had worked on the “War Horse” stage play.

Common Sense Media also reviews “Materialists,” “Echo Valley” and “Not a Box.”

In an era of skepticism around live-action remakes, Universal believes audiences will take flight with Hiccup and Toothless again.

"How to Train Your Dragon" artisans on using sheep fur, bagpipe and locations including the Faroe Islands to help bring remake to life.

The live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon has only just soared into theaters, and a sequel is already underway. In fact, it was announced back in April at CinemaCon 2025, well before the film,