Gerard Butler Reunites With DeBlois For Live-Action Dragon
Actor thanks visionary director and slips back into Stoick’s boots again in new adaptation
Image: Instagram
Gerard Butler has once again raised a toast to the creative force behind How to Train Your Dragon. The Scottish actor turned to Instagram this week to honour his long-time collaborator, director Dean DeBlois, who has guided the franchise from its animated roots into its ambitious live-action incarnation.
In a heartfelt caption on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/p/DLFupg9xS4Y/), Butler wrote that he’s “been on this wild ride with @dean.deblois since the very beginning of How to Train Your Dragon.” He recalled stepping into the recording booth for the first animated film and blurted out “Oden… it was rough” as he learned to give voice to Stoick the Vast. Now, Butler finds himself slipping back into Stoick’s boots — this time on a real set instead of behind the microphone. The post included behind-the-scenes images of Butler in full Viking regalia alongside DeBlois, capturing the camaraderie that fuels their creative partnership.
From Vikings To Live Action
Butler’s relationship with the story stretches over more than a decade. He first voiced Stoick — the imposing Viking patriarch — in DreamWorks’ original animated hit in 2010. DeBlois, who co-directed that film and later steered both sequels, became a trusted collaborator. When news broke that the studio aimed to adapt the saga into live action, Butler was the obvious choice to reprise his role. His Instagram snaps show him outfitted in fur-lined armor, wielding a replica sword, and trading notes with DeBlois on camera blocking and character beats.
Spotlight On Dean Deblois
DeBlois first made his mark co-directing Disney’s Lilo & Stitch in 2002 before writing and directing the Dragon sequels. His deft blend of aerial choreography and emotional storytelling has propelled the animated trilogy to a global box-office total north of $1.6 billion. For the live-action adaptation, he has expanded his vision to include practical sets, stunt work, and real-world dragon animatronics — a departure that called for an actor as versatile as Butler. Butler’s Instagram salute reflects both respect and excitement for what DeBlois is staging next.
A Decade Of Dragon Tales
Gerard Butler’s voice has been central to three DreamWorks tentpoles: How to Train Your Dragon (2010), How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014), and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019). Alongside performances by Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett, and Craig Ferguson, Butler helped humanize Stoick as a father learning to embrace change. In his recent post, he thanked DeBlois for trusting him “to be part of your world (again),” complete with dragon and shield emojis to mark the milestone.
Last week, Butler also made the TV rounds, dropping by The Tonight Show (https://www.instagram.com/p/DKyMMudg2iU/) to preview the live-action project. He chatted about donning Stoick’s armor each day, interacting with high-tech dragon props, and the joy of reuniting with DeBlois on set.
Hitting The Big Screen Again
Fans eagerly tracking the saga got another glimpse of the live-action world in an earlier Instagram share from the film’s U.S. premiere (https://www.instagram.com/p/DK2iMy3yo2G/). There, Butler celebrated opening night and again praised DeBlois for “trusting me with Stoick” and for the thoughtful “sword wrap gift” that “nearly broke me (in the best way).” He confirmed that How to Train Your Dragon lands in theaters on June 13.
As the film transitions from animation cells to on-location sets, Butler’s tribute underscores the enduring friendship and creative synergy at the franchise’s core. With Stoick’s boots firmly planted in both worlds, audiences can expect an epic retelling that honours the original trilogy while unspooling new layers of Viking drama, swooping dragon flight, and the heart that binds father to son. The next chapter in this dragon saga looks poised to take full flight under DeBlois’s visionary helm — and it all started with a microphone and a shout of “Oden… it was rough.”
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