Gerard Butler’s Close Call With a Dragon Reboot Disaster
Gerard Butler almost missed out on returning as Stoick in the live-action How to Train Your Dragon, but fate had other plans. Despite a lukewarm response, a sequel is already on the cards.
Back in 2011, DreamWorks Animation brought How to Train Your Dragon to cinemas, launching a franchise that quickly took off with punters of all ages. The original film, based on Cressida Cowell’s books, was such a hit it spawned sequels, telly spin-offs, video games, and even a touring arena show. Fast forward 14 years, and the studio decided to have another crack at it, this time with a live-action version of the first story.
As is often the case with these sorts of reboots, the original voice cast didn’t return—except for one notable exception. Gerard Butler, the big Scottish bloke who voiced Stoick the Vast, the Viking chief, was back in the saddle. In the animated films, Stoick’s son Hiccup was voiced by Jay Baruchel, but for the live-action take, Mason Thames stepped in, since Baruchel would’ve been a bit long in the tooth for the role by now.
Butler’s Near Miss and a Twist of Fate
Butler nearly didn’t make it back as Stoick. He was tied up with another project when director Dean DeBlois reached out. The timing looked off, and Butler actually missed the first call. He later told Forbes,
“I got a text from Dean two hours later saying, ‘We tried you again. You’re not available. I just want you to know I wanted you to do this so much, and I’m heartbroken’,”
before adding,
“I said, ‘Wait. When is this?’ So, the other movie was pushed back, and I could fit this in the middle. It was destiny that the timing worked out, and everything unfolded as it did.”
Butler didn’t spill which film was delayed, but a quick look at his recent work gives a few clues. The next film on his list after the dragon flick was In the Hand of Dante, though he’s not the main man in that one. More likely, it was Greenland 2: Migration, a sequel to his 2020 disaster thriller, where he’s front and centre and probably had more say in the schedule.
Mixed Reactions and a Sequel on the Horizon
Despite Butler’s enthusiasm, the live-action reboot didn’t exactly set the world on fire. The original animated film is still held up as a classic, but the new version copped criticism for lacking the heart and charm that made the first so beloved. Some reckon it was just a cash grab, and plenty of fans who grew up with the series weren’t shy about saying it was a waste of time.
Even so, Butler seemed to enjoy himself, and the studio clearly isn’t done with dragons just yet. A second live-action instalment is already in the pipeline, so it looks like we’ll be hearing more from Stoick and his Viking mates before too long.