Universal finds its Hiccup and Astrid for 'How to Train Your Dragon' live-action film

Los Angeles: Universal Pictures has found its lead actors for the live-action feature film based on the studio's popular animated trilogy "How to Train Your Dragon".

Mason Thames, best known for starring in Universal's horror hit "The Black Phone", will play the lead character of Hiccup, according to entertainment news outlet The Hollywood Reporter.

Nico Parker, who made an appearance in HBO's hit series "The Last of Us", will essay the role of Astrid in the movie, which will be helmed by Dean DeBlois, the director behind the original animated trilogy.

The studio has set March 14, 2025 as the release date of the film. "How to Train Your Dragon" movie series, based on the books by Cressida Cowell, followed the unique friendship between a young and timid Viking boy named Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) and Toothless, an injured dragon he nurses back to health.

The franchise, which started with 2010's "How To Train Your Dragon", chronicled Hiccup and Toothless' quest to combat humanity's prejudice against dragons, the ache of overcoming the loss of a parent, and first love. DeBlois wrote and directed the first movie with Chris Sanders.

The filmmaker later directed two sequels released in 2014 and 2019 in sole capacity. The voice cast also included Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, TJ Miller, and Kristen Wiig