The live-action adaptation of the hit animated filmHow to Train Your Dragonhas kept one iconic element of Toothless' design, despite how unrealistic it is. Loosely based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Cressida Cowell, the animated film turned into a major success, which then spawned two sequels. The live-action film, which is also directed by Dean DeBlois, is set to release this year, with a trailer already teasing looks at Toothless, Hiccup, and the remaining characters.
Speaking withNBC, DeBlois shared an intriguing detail about thelive-action adaptation ofHow to Train Your Dragonby keeping Toothless' otherworldly big eyes. The director revealed that they did try to decrease the size of the dragon’s iconic eyes, but he found that doing so made him less of the dragon fans have come to love. They found a compromise by making other elements surrounding the eyes more convincing. Read what he had to say in full:
Toothless is an interesting example because the size of his eyes, that doesn’t exist in nature, not even on a whale. But the smaller we made them, the less appealing and the less Toothless he became, very quickly. So, we had to find this balance where we’re cheating with nature by making his eyes bigger, but we can lean into the rippling muscles over the skeleton, the believable scales, the believable textures, the wetness of the gums and the teeth and everything else, and hopefully get away with the big green eyes. I hope that’s the end result. Maybe I’m too close to it, but I hope in the end, you watch it and say, ‘I believe it. I believe that character could exist alongside the other animals and the humans.’
What This Means For The Live-Action Version Of How To Train Your Dragon
Keeping Toothless' Big Eyes Bodes Well
Before thefirst trailer dropped forHow to Train Your Dragon, there were a lot of questions as to how much the live-action version would replicate the animated original. Many viewers were curious about the eyes, in particular, since those were Toothless' most memorable and key features, as he looked cute. Despite initial reservations, the trailers have seemingly illustrated this design well,without diluting any of the crucial physical characteristics of Toothless.
How The Live-Action Toothless Compares To The Original Version In How To Train Your Dragon
The live-action How to Train Your Dragon movie has brought the animated movie’s lovable dragon to life, but how does he compare to the original?
TheHow to Train Your Dragonfranchisealso has a huge fanbase, which meant nailing the design was crucial to bringing the live-action movie to fruition. DeBlois and his creative team managed to balance the realistic depiction with the distinguishing quirkiness from the animated film. Considering that DeBlois also directed the original trilogy, it makes sense that a lot of time was dedicated to experimenting with the designs and finding the right texture and size. It’s worth noting thatthe director has experience as a story and layout artist for animated movieslikeThe Lion KingandAtlantis: The Lost Empire, which makes him an expert in this field.
Fans May Not Have Liked A Toothless With Normal Eyes
Image via Universal Pictures
Considering the strong fanbase, it was probably the best decision to keep Toothless' eyes big. I can’t imagine what Toothless would look like with normally-sized eyes. As DeBlois found, it would have resulted in a diluted version of Toothless. Keeping in mind that the film is in the fantasy genre,big eyes on a dragon is ultimately acceptable. Based on the trailers so far, DeBlois and his creative team made a solid live-action version of Toothless forHow to Train Your Dragon.
How to Train Your Dragon
Cast
How to Train Your Dragon, released in 2025, depicts the story of Hiccup, a young Viking who defies tradition on the isle of Berk by befriending Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their friendship uncovers the true nature of dragons, challenging entrenched Viking perceptions and societal norms.
