LATEST NEWS
New Details on 'Epic' Sequel to 'How to Train Your Dragon' Revealed
by Alex Billington
February 7, 2011
Source: THR
We know there are many fans out there who will be rooting for DreamWorks Animation's How to Train Your Dragon to win a couple of Oscars on the 27th, so this news is to keep them, and everyone else who loves that animated flick, salivating until then. THR talked with some animation folks at last night's Annie Awards (the ones Disney boycotted). Not only did they learn that Dean DeBlois, who co-directed the first movie, is currently working on the second draft of the screenplay, but DeBlois and more spoke about how "epic" of a sequel we can expect. "This truly is a second chapter in a larger story," he revealed. Read on!
DeBlois tells them about how they're expanding for the sequels - not just one, but two more, for a trilogy.
"I turned in the script before the holidays, and got some notes back and I'm working on a second draft," DeBlois, who will write and direct the sequel, told THR at Saturday's Annie Awards. "It's going to be quite epic. We are treating How To Train Your Dragon as the first act in a much larger story. As we head into this one, the world expands. Everything is much bigger with still the heartfelt qualities that made the first one resonate so much with audiences. There are no longer restrictions to this tiny island in the North Sea. They have the entire Northern hemisphere within their grasp."
Now that sounds pretty cool. DeBlois adds, "The only way of tracing the story is to draw on elements that were in the first movie and set up elements for a third movie, so it doesn't feel like a random adventure with the same five or six characters." So they're pulling an Avatar, or Matrix, or Pirates 2 & 3, or whatever - two back-to-back sequels on the way, which we'd sort of heard about before. This was originally inspired by a series of children's novels by Cressida Cowell and they have plenty to draw from, even beyond a trilogy. But, as producer Bonnie Arnold also tells THR, they're sticking with the story of the two unlikely friends:
"It's going to be more fun adventures with Hiccup and Toothless. There will be some new dragons and maybe some new characters. It's the further adventures of Hiccup on his journey of becoming a man and the ultimate leader of the Viking clan."
It sounds like they're definitely handling this with care, as the moments between Hiccup and Toothless were the best in the movie. Chris Sanders, one half of the creative genius behind Dragon who also co-directed, will only executive produce the sequel, as he's working on writing & directing The Croods for DreamWorks. The sequel to How to Train Your Dragon will move beyond the small, North Sea island that was the setting of the original film as it traces the further adventures of Hiccup as he grows toward becoming the leader of his Viking clan. We reported that most of the voice cast will return, including Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill and Kristen Wiig. DreamWorks Animation currently has HTTYD2 scheduled for release in 2013. Cool?
12 Comments
1
cooooooooooooooooool. cannot wait. loved the first one.
Roderick on Feb 8, 2011
2
hopefully the magic of the first one will not die in the sequel.
Anonymous on Feb 8, 2011
3
I liked the first one way more than I thought I would. This one sounds even better.
DesinaCoda on Feb 8, 2011
4
sounds good to me unless they screw it.First was good hoping that second turns out the same otherwise Dreamworks sequels aren't that great like Pixar.'How to Train Your Dragon was their only best film last year's for Dreamworks animation other than shrek and megamind which were average.I am just hoping that they don't screw up this one because How to Train Your Dragon was as good as Toy Story 3 and they can do more better.
Joe_6285 on Feb 8, 2011
5
I walked into a showing of How To Train Your Dragon with zero expectations, but what I walked out with was reaffirmation of why I love films, and why I chose it as my career path. To boil it all down, they can remove the annoyances brought on by the inconsistencies of life, and replace them with emotions that are at their core very simple, but the root of happiness. So yeah, totally worth my $8.50. And I'm usually never excited for sequels, but sometimes it feels right.
Knawx on Feb 8, 2011
6
Cant wait!
Booref on Feb 8, 2011
7
Cant wait!
Booref on Feb 8, 2011
8
The first film was predictable and rather boring with some cute moments. This vague announcement is quite self serving and ridiculous. What else is the director and producer going to say? Ask any producer and director of a film and they'll say the same thing. This isn't real news.
Insider on Feb 8, 2011
9
I respect your angle, but have to disagree with you. Reading this update I feel as if those making decisions for the sequel truly care about the stories content. Unlike other sequels from our past. Matrix: "There's going to be more eye popping fight scenes!" Transformers: "We're going to double the robot count" Iron Man: "More gadgets!" My point is that most sequels do not in fact focus on the natural progress of their main character. Rather they inflate shallow details that seem awesome on the surface, but have no depth and leave us unsatisfied. I feel like the story of Hiccup is going to unfold as a great Hero's Journey and will prove to be so much deeper than most trilogies.
Knawx on Feb 8, 2011
10
After 18 minutes I began to hate Jay Baruchels voicing.....I didnt think this was that great to warrant two sequels, but, well, I guess they need another CGI feature to run into the ground since they no longer have Shrek.
Voice of Reason on Feb 8, 2011
12
cool cant wait but 2013 🙁
A5J4DX on Nov 13, 2018
New comments are no longer allowed on this post.
FEATURED POSTS
FOLLOW FS HERE
Follow Alex's main account on Twitter:
Add our posts to your Feedly › click here
Get all the news sent on Telegram 
LATEST TO WATCH