Latest news with #DeanDeBlois
Gizmodo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
Dean DeBlois Is Hopeful Cate Blanchett Will Return for ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2'
io9 recently sat down with How to Train Your Dragon filmmaker Dean DeBlois to chat about being the steward of DreamWorks and Universal Pictures' dragon franchise. In our conversation, when discussing how awesome it was to see Gerard Butler reprise his role as Hiccup's dad Stoic, we brought up other actors we'd like to see reprise roles or cameo in live-action, including original stars Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, and Cate Blanchett. DeBlois revealed to io9 that he hopes Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett will reprise her role as Valka in the announced upcoming live-action adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon 2. 'We are keeping our fingers crossed,' he said, 'But yeah, I don't know… it's a little early to tell because I'm just writing the script.' Fans of the animated film know how big of a deal it would be to see Blanchett return to the franchise in the pivotal role. It's an early reveal in the sequel that Hiccup's mom Valka, who is mentioned a few times in the live-action film, is alive. And it's a twist that propels the stakes in the animated sequel which picks up five years after the events of the first film. Like Butler, Blanchett could easily slip back into the role and give us another undisputed fantasy genre queen performance to follow The Lord of the Rings' Galadriel and Thor: Ragnarok's Hela. However, we will note that Blanchett has recently talked about wanting to retire, telling the Radio Times last month she has stopped referring to herself as an actress: 'It's because I'm giving up… My family roll their eyes every time I say it, but I mean it. I am serious about giving up acting. [There are] a lot of things I want to do with my life.' As far as the original Hiccup and Astrid—Jay Baruchel and America Ferrera—coming back, that would have to be more of a cameo situation. They're older than the characters they played, and Hiccup and Astrid were re-cast with Mason Thames and Nico Parker for the live-action movie. 'We'll see what happens. Jay and America have been really supportive; in fact they weighed in on the casting when I was down to my top three Astrids and Hiccups. I shared them [with Jay and America], just to hear what they had to say, so they've been super supportive,' DeBlois said. 'But I think for their schedules it just wouldn't work out for this movie, but maybe in the future.' How to Train Your Dragon opens June 13.
Geek Tyrant
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON Director Teases Possibilities Beyond the Trilogy in Live-Action Expansion — GeekTyrant
Dean DeBlois isn't only developing a live-action How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, he's potentially expanding the entire world. DeBlois, who directed all three of DreamWorks' beloved animated Dragon films, is now at the helm of the live-action adaptation. Not only is the upcoming movie a direct adaptation of the first animated film, but DeBlois confirmed How to Train Your Dragon 2 is already set for the live-action treatment as well. But that's not all. At the grand opening of Universal's Epic Universe in Orlando, Florida, DeBlois revealed there may be even more live-action Dragon stories coming, films that aren't just rehashes of the animated trilogy. When asked about the potential for original live-action spinoffs, DeBlois said: 'I think there is, of course, yeah. The nice thing about it, especially revisiting it in live action, is casting a wider net in terms of the overall mythology and the world-building of it. So it does allow for, every direction we go, you could be just meeting new cultures, new dragons, so it does lend itself to that.' He was quick to temper expectations, adding: '[But] I'm not very good at predicting the future. I've got [my] hands full with Dragon 2.' That said, DeBlois clearly sees potential in this universe beyond just bringing the original story to life again. The world of Berk seems like a big and fun sandbox to play in with unseen dragons, and distant cultures, and a live-action expansion gives him the opportunity to build the mythology and finally explore these other things. The upcoming film stars Mason Thames ( The Black Phone ) as Hiccup, with Gerard Butler returning as Stoick the Vast, alongside Nico Parker ( The Last of Us ) as Astrid and Nick Frost as Gobber. The official synopsis promises a faithful retelling with room to grow: 'On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup (Mason Thames; The Black Phone, For All Mankind ) stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler, reprising his voice role from the animated franchise), Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. 'Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society. With the fierce and ambitious Astrid (BAFTA nominee Nico Parker; Dumbo, The Last of Us ) and the village's quirky blacksmith Gobber (Nick Frost; Snow White and the Huntsman, Shaun of the Dead ) by his side, Hiccup confronts a world torn by fear and misunderstanding. 'As an ancient threat emerges, endangering both Vikings and dragons, Hiccup's friendship with Toothless becomes the key to forging a new future. Together, they must navigate the delicate path toward peace, soaring beyond the boundaries of their worlds and redefining what it means to be a hero and a leader.' The live-action How to Train Your Dragon hits theaters in 2025.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Live-Action ‘How To Train Your Dragon' Among Additions to Annecy Lineup
A preview of writer/director Dean DeBlois' upcoming live action reimaging of 'How to Train Your Dragon' from Universal has been added to the Annecy International Animation Film Festival lineup. Dreamworks Animation's 2010 original, based on Cressida Cowell's book series, was written and directed by DeBlois and Chris Sandlers, and DeBlois wrote and helmed the following two movies to complete the trilogy. The new film will screen at Annecy on June 11, in advance of its June 13 U.S. release. More from Variety Nick Kroll Reveals the 'Sick Little D-' Scene in 'Big Mouth' That Netflix Asked to Be Cut: 'It's the Grossest Thing' Jimmy Kimmel Joins 'Smurfs' Voice Cast (EXCLUSIVE) Marshmello Joins 'Smurfs' Voice Cast (EXCLUSIVE) A Paramount & Nickelodeon Animation presentation has also been added to the festival schedule, featuring upcoming 'Smurfs,' directed by Chris Miller ('Puss in Boots') and 'The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants,' helmed by Derek Drymon. A pair of shorts, 'SpongeBob: Order Up,' directed by Sean Charmatz and 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Chrome Alone 2 – Lost in New Jersey,' directed by Kent Seki, will also highlight the June 10 session. A first look at Paul McCartney's 3D animated film 'High in the Cloud' helmed by Toby Genkel is also joining the lineup. It's recently-announced all star cast includes Celine Dion, Himesh Patel, Hannah Waddingham, Idris Elba, Lionel Richie, Ringo Starr, Jimmy Fallon, Clémence Poésy, Pom Klementieff and Alain Chabat. Gaumont is producing and repping internationally, and Gaumont's president of global animation and family Terry Kalagian will be at Annecy for the presentation, alongside project supervisor Christian De Vita. Lastly, 'Predator: Killer of Killers' an original adventure set in the Predators universe, written by Dan Trachtenberg and co-directed by Josh Wassung, has joined the Annecy program. The movie debuts June 6 Hulu. Best of Variety All the Godzilla Movies Ranked Final Oscar Predictions: International Feature – United Kingdom to Win Its First Statuette With 'The Zone of Interest' 'Game of Thrones' Filming Locations in Northern Ireland to Open as Tourist Attractions
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Lilo & Stitch' Is Finally a Disney Remake That Isn't a Total Travesty
The Disney remake machine is an insatiable beast that will ultimately consume every one of the studio's animated classics and regurgitate it as a live-action copy. While such efforts have to date been uneven (to say the least), the fact remains that, in aiming for rigid fidelity over novel flights of fancy, they are doomed, by definition, to be no better than pale imitations of their superior forefathers. Driven by a desire to duplicate rather than innovate, they're projects whose motivation isn't artistic but financial. Even in that regard, though, their shelf life is reasonably limited, since once their theatrical bows are finished, they're fated to always be the second choice of moviegoers interested in revisiting their tales. Lilo & Stitch, the Mouse House's latest do-over, does even less updating to its template than most of its predecessors, and that lack of tinkering results in more consistent success. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On director Dean Fleischer Camp's film, out May 23, is exceedingly similar to its 2002 source material, and the small tweaks it does make are either cute or logistical, designed to facilitate the transition from the cartoon to the 'real' world. There's virtually nothing new here, and that means it'll never be remembered as fondly (or rewatched as often) as Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois' beloved hand-drawn original. Still, it's jovial, zany, and sweet, and it recreates its adorable title alien via CGI (and a Sanders voice performance) with pitch-perfect accuracy. Following the narrative structure of its ancestor, Lilo & Stitch moves fast through its set-up, in which an intergalactic extraterrestrial tribunal led by the Grand Councilwoman (Hannah Waddingham) weighs in on a case involving mad scientist Dr. Jumba Jookiba (Zach Galifianakis), who's undertaken an 'illegal genetic experimentation.' The result, dubbed '626,' is a big-eyed blue-and-white creature that has giant floppy ears, four arms, a gargantuan mouth full of teeth, and spikes along its hairy back. According to its maker, it's unstoppable, indestructible, and smarter than 100 supercomputers. It's also 'naughty,' and the Grand Councilwoman's inability to find something 'good' in the little guy causes her to sentence him to exile. In response, he escapes captivity, steals a ship, and plots a hyper-speed course for Earth—a world that's not particularly hospitable to him, considering that it's covered in water and his tremendous body density means he can't swim. Crash-landing on Hawaii, the rambunctious 626 gets run over by a car and winds up in a dog kennel, where he's adopted by Lilo (newcomer Maia Kealoha), who later names him Stitch. A six-year-old whose nasty peers view her as weird, Lilo sees Stitch's UFO flying through the air and, believing it to be a shooting star, wishes for a best friend. Stitch is destined to be just that, and in the aftermath of Lilo adopting him—to plentiful stares from everyone, who view him as the ugliest canine ever—he behaves like the baddest pooch on the planet. Since Lilo is a born troublemaker, this means they get along fantastically. Stitch's unruliness is received less warmly by Lilo's grown sister Nani (Sydney Elizebeth Agudong), who's her caretaker (their parents have recently died in an unspecified accident) and is trying to maintain her guardianship by fending off watchful social worker Mrs. Kekoa (Tia Carrere). Into this mix, Lilo & Stitch adds Nani's would-be suitor David (Kaipo Dudoit) and his grandmother Tūtū (Amy Hill), who live next door; CIA agent Cobra Bubbles (Courtney B. Vance), who's hot on the trail of the rogue monster; and Jookiba and Agent Pleakley (Billy Magnussen), who are sent to Earth to retrieve the wayward Stitch. Because the long, slender Pleakley has one eye and the rotund Jookiba has numerous ones, they assume the physical form of two strangers (Galifianakis and Magnussen), which makes sense under the circumstances but nonetheless eliminates the prior film's aliens-in-human-dress-up humor. Likewise, while Jookiba and Pleakley look right, they're less visually elastic and fluid as their 2D forefathers—a situation that contributes to a generally tamer atmosphere, no matter that the action is cheery and zippy. The majority of Lilo & Stitch is consumed with Stitch wreaking havoc, getting himself and Lilo into trouble with Nani, and learning that 'Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.' The parentless Stitch finds a new clan and the still-grieving Lilo and Nani overcome adversities—including potential separation—to rebuild anew, and all of it plays out in precisely the fashion viewers recall, give or take a few gags and additional figures that, in the final tally, don't change a meaningful thing. Camp stages everything cleanly and boisterously, capturing the sunshiny spirit of Hawaii and its inhabitants, and except for a couple of eyeline-related moments, his integration of CGI characters into his live-action environments is smooth. Lilo & Stitch is unimaginative, yet it's a solid rehash. A good bit of that is due to the mischievous Stitch, who remains a growling, gibberish-spouting 'cute and fluffy' whatsit. Equally responsible for its charm are Kealoha and Agudong, who make an endearing pair as the orphaned sisters. With attitude to spare, Kealoha is amusing and lovable, and Agudong has more than enough screen presence to keep the film's plot machinations from becoming a superfluous drag. Unfortunately, most of their costars are left behind by the whirlwind proceedings; courtesy of a script that treats every non-lead as a device, Galifianakis, Magnussen, and Vance evoke only some of their characters' established personalities. Regardless of their alterations (including the absence of at least one major individual), Camp and company perform a relatively impressive feat of translation. Yet the quirky idiosyncrasies of the Disney original feel slightly flattened out in this version—a state of affairs attributable to turning a distinctive animated feature into a safe blockbuster that, in most respects, resembles an average modern-day family film. As a Memorial Day diversion for budding young cinephiles, it'll suffice. Those with a soft spot for this odd-couple adventure, however, will want to hold onto their old DVDs and blu-rays.
Arab News
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Red-carpet launch in Riyadh: Gerard Butler kicks off ‘How to Train Your Dragon' premiere
RIYADH: Gerard Butler kicked off his international press tour for 'How to Train Your Dragon' with a special red-carpet premiere at Vox Cinemas, Roshn Front in Riyadh. Reprising his role as Stoick the Vast, Butler's visit marked a major moment for Saudi Arabia's growing entertainment scene. Fans filled the venue, eager to catch a glimpse of the Hollywood star. Butler took his time meeting attendees, posing for photos, and signing autographs, a gesture that was met with huge enthusiasm, especially from young fans. In a press chat, Butler spoke about the significance of launching the film in Saudi Arabia, praising the Kingdom's rising profile in the global entertainment industry. 'It's an honor to be here,' he said. 'The energy of the crowd has been incredible, and I'm excited to share this story with everyone.' He also recorded an exclusive interview with Arab News, set to be published soon. 'How to Train Your Dragon,' directed by three-time Oscar nominee Dean DeBlois, is a live-action remake of the beloved DreamWorks franchise. The film, releasing on June 12, follows the bond between Hiccup and Toothless, with Butler's character playing a key role. The cast includes Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, and Bronwyn James. The evening not only celebrated the film but also reflected Saudi Arabia's efforts to position itself as a key player in the global film industry.
