Successful franchise heads to ‘beautiful’ Ireland to shoot highly-anticipated live action film

The live action version of How To Train Your Dragon is coming to the big screen soon with fans set to witness breathtaking scenery in the movie which was filmed on location in Ireland

Ayeesha Walsh Showbiz & TV Reporter

17:36 ET, 28 May 2025

How To Train Your Dragon filmed on location in Northern Ireland

When it comes to filming locations, Ireland is often a popular choice thanks to the stunning scenery throughout the country.

From stretching golden beaches to rugged cliffs and awe-inspiring mountains, everything from Game Of Thrones to Star Wars has filmed in the country. Now fans of the highly-anticipated live-action version of DreamWorks hit animated movie franchise How To Train Your Dragon are set to see Berk come to life in the Northern Irish landscape.

Movie Director Dean DeBlois has admitted how the location was the perfect choice to bring the fantasy world into reality. He said: “Working in Northern Ireland means that we are essentially stepping in to the world of Berk.

READ MORE: Barry Keoghan breaks silence on what Cillian Murphy is really like to work withREAD MORE: Irish Troubles film with near perfect Rotten Tomatoes score stars A-list actor at beginning of his career

“You get the crashing sea, you get the rugged coastlines, the green rolling hills, the very changeable weather – all of those aspects that you think are associated to the island of Berk are here in plenty.” Speaking in a new featurette about filming the movie Stunt Co-Ordinator Roy Taylor added: “Working in some of the locations we were working in – the Giant’s Causeway . . . Tollymore Forest – those places are so beautiful, and I really think it’s going to add a whole new extra element to the picture.”

The live action adaptation of How To Train Your Dragon has stunning scenes

Meanwhile, actress NicoParker who plays Astrid in the film confessed: “We filmed in such a beautiful location, I think it’s as true to Berk as it would be in real life. As an actor it’s the dream, it’s so much easier to become your character and step in to this world.”

Stoick star Gerard Butler said: “All the footage we have from the most amazing landscapes create this living, breathing world of Berk.” The live-action offering is a reimagining of the original movie that launched the franchise.

The movie is set on the isle of Berk and tells the story of the Vikings and dragons who live there and have been enemies for decades. Hiccup, the son of Chief Stoick defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon.

Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons and challenges the very foundations of Viking society.

How To Train Your Dragon is part of the Filmed For IMAX® Program, which offers filmmakers IMAX® technology to help them deliver the most immersive movie experience to audiences around the world and will see the scenery brought to life even more for viewers on the big screen.

Inspired by Cressida Cowell’s New York Times bestselling book series, DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon franchise has captivated global audiences. The movies have four Academy Award® nominations and have grossed more than $1.6 billion at the global box-office.

Using cutting-edge visual effects Dean has transformed his beloved animated saga into a breathtaking live-action spectacle, bringing the epic adventures of Hiccup and Toothless to life with jaw-dropping realism as they discover the true meaning of friendship, courage and destiny.

How To Train Your Dragon is in theaters from June 9.

For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here.

_{Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.}