Cate Blanchett Returns as Valka in Live-Action Dragon Sequel

Universal has locked in another familiar face for its next big fantasy adventure, with Cate Blanchett stepping back into the role of Valka for the live-action follow-up to How To Train Your Dragon 2. The announcement came during Cinema Con in April 2025, just ahead of the first live-action adaptation hitting cinemas. The sequel, a fresh take on the beloved animated classic, is scheduled to land in theatres on 11 June 2027.

Blanchett, who first gave voice to Valka in the 2014 animated film, will now bring the character to life on screen. Valka, revealed as Hiccup’s long-lost mum and a fierce protector of dragons, quickly became a fan favourite. Blanchett isn’t the only one returning from the original cast—Gerard Butler, who played Stoic in the animated trilogy, has also signed on for the live-action series.

Star Power and Returning Cast

With a career spanning decades, Blanchett has racked up eight Academy Award nominations and two wins for her roles in The Aviator and Blue Jasmine. Her filmography includes everything from Tár and Thor: Ragnarok to Carol and The Lord of the Rings. Most recently, she’s appeared in Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag and Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother.

She’ll be joining a line-up that features Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, and of course, Gerard Butler. Dean DeBlois, who helmed both the original animated sequel and the first live-action adaptation, is back in the director’s chair for this next chapter.

Box Office Success and Critical Acclaim

The original How To Train Your Dragon 2 hit cinemas in June 2014 and was met with glowing reviews, with some punters even saying it outshone the first film. It pulled in a hefty $622 million worldwide and scored a nomination for Best Animated Film at the 87th Academy Awards. The film also took home the Golden Globe and Annie Award for Best Animated Feature.

The live-action version, which premiered in June 2025, arrived fifteen years after the animated original. It raked in $262 million domestically and cracked the Top 10 highest-grossing films of the year. Globally, it reached $636 million, nabbing the number eight spot at the worldwide box office for 2025. Universal, clearly chuffed with the results, is now eyeing a live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World to round out the trilogy.

Audience Response and the Future of Remakes

There’s been plenty of chatter about whether we really need more live-action versions of animated favourites. Still, the new take on DreamWorks’ hit managed to snag a 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes—six points higher than the original.

This suggests that perhaps there are some movies that can please fans if they stick to the script and don't attempt to do something too wild and inventive.

While some reckon Hollywood’s running out of ideas, the numbers show there’s still a keen audience for these reimaginings. Studios are more than happy to keep the ball rolling if the demand’s there and the box office keeps ticking over.