Director Dean DeBlois is hoping to bring back Cate Blanchett for his upcoming live-action sequel to How to Train Your Dragon.
The 55-year-old filmmaker, who’s behind the original animated trilogy and the 2025 live-action remake, says he wrote the character Valka specifically for Blanchett and wants her to reprise the role in the second installment.
“She’s probably waiting on a script, but I’ve been knocking on that door,” DeBlois told ComicBook.com. “I wrote the character of Valka for her, so I told her it’ll always be hers to turn down first.”
Blanchett, 56, voiced Hiccup’s long-lost mother in the second and third animated films, where Valka is a fierce dragon rider with a deep connection to the creatures. DeBlois made it clear she’s his first choice again, but if she passes, they’ll need to reimagine the character a bit for the new version.
And it’s not just Valka who might see changes. DeBlois also mentioned that Toothless, Hiccup’s dragon companion, will look and act a little different in the live-action sequel.
“Toothless is roughly Hiccup’s age in dragon years, so he’s growing up too,” he said. “We’ll change his design subtly, but it’s more about his mentality. He’s maturing, forming his own views, becoming a leader.”
The live-action version of How to Train Your Dragon 2 is still in early development, but DeBlois is already diving into how to handle the story’s heavier moments. One key scene – where Toothless is used as a weapon against Hiccup, leading to Stoick’s tragic intervention – will likely hit even harder in live-action.
“That scene was already emotional in animation,” DeBlois said. “But in live-action, it’ll be next level. That’s what makes the second movie special for a lot of fans – it’s darker, deeper, more expansive. I’m excited to take that on.”
The 2025 live-action film stars Mason Thames as Hiccup, Nico Parker as Astrid, Gerard Butler as Stoick, and Nick Frost. Casting Parker as Astrid has sparked online criticism from some fans over her not matching the animated version’s blonde-haired, blue-eyed look.
Parker addressed the backlash in an interview with The Times of London: “Some people just want a play-by-play copy of the original. I hope they still find something to enjoy. But if you’re mad about inclusivity or change – I just don’t care.”
She added, “If I wouldn’t trust your opinion in real life, I’m not taking it seriously online, either. If I did, I’d go mad.”
The sequel doesn’t have a release date yet, but with DeBlois deep in the writing phase, fans can expect more updates soon.
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