How to Train Your Dragon is set to release this weekend, marking the first time Universal Studios has done a live-action remake of one of their animated films. The original was released in 2010 and quickly became one of the most popular franchises for the studio. However, audiences are very used to live-action remakes thanks to Universal’s competitor, Disney. The Walt Disney Company has released over 20 live-action remakes over the years with varying success. Universal may have struck gold by waiting. The movie is already beating many of the live-action Disney remakes in one key metric.
How to Train Your Dragon Critic Score
On Rotten Tomatoes, How to Train Your Dragon currently sits at 80% based on 80 reviews. While this number may fluctuate a little after the release this weekend, this is likely the range it will be in. That score puts it as one of the best live-action remakes ever made, trouncing many of Disney’s offerings. Only two Disney live-action remakes have a higher score on Rotten Tomatoes: Cinderella (84%) and Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book (94%). How to Train Your Dragon doesn’t just beat the rest. It is far and away a better-reviewed movie than many of Disney’s offerings. Here is a sampling of some of their Rotten Tomatoes scores.
- Alice in Wonderland – 50%
- Maleficent – 54%
- Alice Through The Looking Glass – 29%
- Beauty and the Beast – 71%
- Christopher Robin – 73%
- Dumbo – 46%
- Aladdin – 57%
- Lion King – 51%
- Lady and the Tramp – 67%
- Mulan – 71%
- Pinocchio – 27%
- The Little Mermaid – 67%
- Mufasa – 57%
- Snow White – 39%
- Lilo And Stitch – 69%
Disney has rushed to remake their animated classics while Universal has hung back until now. How to Train Your Dragon looks to be carefully crafted to be true to the story, while updating the look and the story slightly. Even Disney’s successes have come with criticism. Lilo and Stitch has been a box office success, but many of the fans of the original have criticized the filmmakers for changing the ending.
What Are People Loving?
How to Train Your Dragon has been billed as an almost shot-for-shot remake. While this has been a criticism for some, in this case, it seems like a strength. The newness comes from the fleshing out of some of the characters and the stunning visuals that make the Islands of Berk feel even more real. The filmmakers also know what made the original so popular. Toothless and Hiccup share a unique bond that audiences fell in love with 15 years ago. That relationship isn’t changing in the 2025 version.
Final Thoughts
It will be interesting to see what How to Train Your Dragon does at the box office this weekend. The success of Lilo and Stitch means the appetite for movies, especially ones that trigger a feeling of nostalgia, is there. If it continues to get good reviews, it could climb the Rotten Tomatoes rankings for best live-action film ever.
