How to Train Your Dragon at 15: The Inspiration Behind the Stunning Animated Children's Fantasy

      As it celebrates its 15th anniversary, we reflect on the story behind DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon.

      How to Train Your Dragon is one of those animated films that made a lasting impact on audiences at its release with its stunning animation, emotional narrative, and powerful orchestral score. As this beloved animated feature marks its 15th anniversary, we take the chance to revisit its behind-the-scenes story.

      The studio was not satisfied with the target audience of the source material.

      After the success of Over the Hedge, DreamWorks was searching for new intellectual properties to turn into animated features. During this time, the book series How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell captured the attention of Over the Hedge producer Bonnie Arnold. While waiting for the right moment, Arnold pursued other projects, and when Bill Damaschke, co-president of DreamWorks Animation, inquired about her next choice, Arnold selected How to Train Your Dragon.

      Peter Hastings was the original director attached to the project. He had previously written and co-produced the acclaimed animated TV series Animaniacs in the 1990s. Hastings’ interpretation of the film was closely aligned with the source material; however, the studio was concerned that this approach would negatively impact its box office performance. Consequently, Hastings was replaced by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, the co-directors of Lilo & Stitch. Both Sanders and DeBlois shared the studio's concerns about Hastings' direction and made adjustments to the story to reach a wider audience.

      The depiction of Toothless was significantly altered for the film.

      In Cressida Cowell’s book, Hiccup's dragon, Toothless, is portrayed as a remarkably small, Common or Garden Dragon. In the novels, Toothless was also green and red, contrasting with the movie version, which presented him as an injured Night Fury, a rare and more powerful breed of dragon. The producers made this change with Cressida Cowell's approval, convincing her that a rideable dragon for Hiccup and Astrid would be more visually appealing. The dragon's name in the film stemmed from Hiccup’s observation that its teeth retract into its mouth while avoiding interference with fire breathing, while in the book, it was named so due to its toothlessness.

      Toothless’ design drew from various animal inspirations.

      The appearance and personality of Toothless were inspired by a mix of animals, including cats, dogs, and horses. His face varied in influences; notably, it resembled a giant salamander, the largest amphibian globally. Additionally, the character's design borrowed elements from Stitch, the animated character from Lilo & Stitch, co-directed by How to Train Your Dragon’s Sanders and DeBlois. Following Toothless' popularity, many animal shelters noticed a rise in the adoption of black cats named after the lovable dragon.

      The iconic “touch” scene was an animation blunder.

      One of the film's most memorable moments occurs during Hiccup's first encounter with Toothless, featuring the well-known “touch” scene. Unexpectedly, this scene resulted from an animation mistake during production. However, the animators found the happy accident so perfect that they decided to keep it in the final cut, creating one of the film's most unforgettable moments.

      The legendary Roger Deakins served as a visual consultant for the film.

      Recognized as one of the greatest contemporary cinematographers, Roger Deakins has won Academy Awards for notable films like Blade Runner 2049 and 1917. His role as a visual consultant for How to Train Your Dragon ensured that the final product would be exceptional. Deakins was primarily brought on to help the animation team with lighting and to infuse a “live-action feel” into the film. Extensive research was done to realistically simulate flight and fire for sequences featuring the fire-breathing dragons.

      The film’s breathtaking musical score garnered an Oscar nomination.

      Exceptional animated features typically feature memorable musical scores, as seen in films like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King, which won Oscars for Best Original Score. The evocative score for How to Train Your Dragon was composed by DreamWorks Animation veteran John Powell, known for his work on films like Antz (1998) and Shrek (2001). This marked Powell's first solo score, and it became one of the film's most memorable elements, earning an Oscar nomination for Best Original Score.

      The improvisational talents of the voice actors were fully utilized.

      The supporting cast of How to Train Your Dragon included notable actors such as Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jonah Hill, Kristen Wiig, and T.J. Miller, all of whom possessed remarkable improvisational comedic skills. The directors took full advantage of these talents during the film's recording sessions.

      Box-office triumph, rave reviews, and the birth of a successful franchise.

      With a production budget