The actor tells PEOPLE about his role as Hiccup in the 2025 live-action remake of 'How to Train Your Dragon,' out nowNEED TO KNOWMason Thames says he has always related to Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon,

Mason Thames may be leading the new How to Train Your Dragon movie — but he’s been a fan since day one. “That was my childhood, growing up with those movies,” the 17-year-old actor tells People, reflecting on what it means to now play Hiccup in the live-action remake of the beloved animated franchise.

Find the full live-action cast of How To Train Your Dragon (2025) alongside their animated and voice cast counterparts.

On the set of the live-action movie, Toothless and the other dragons existed as large puppets with simple functions, operated by a team of master puppeteers led by Tom Wilton, a performer who had worked on the “War Horse” stage play.

Universal/DreamWorks’ “How to Train Your Dragon” remake has taken off at the box office with a strong $82.5 million domestic opening weekend and $200 million worldwide.

The actor, who will celebrate his 18th birthday next month, also explains why he did not try to match original actor Jay Baruchel's voice: "if I did an impersonation like that for this film, it would feel rude.

Dean DeBlois, one of the animated film's directors, returns to direct the live-action adaptation. Also returning is actor Gerard Butler ("300," "Law Abiding Citizen") as Hiccup's father, Stoick the Vast.

Unlike most live adaptations of animated movies, filmmaker Dean DeBlois is behind both. Mason Thames plays Hiccup and Nico Parker takes on the

The live-action 'How to Train Your Dragon' is captivating Indian audiences, projecting a Rs 10 crore weekend after a strong opening. Released on June 13, 2025, the film's English version leads with Rs 4.