Mason Thames, 17, stars as Hiccup in Universal’s new live-action “How to Train Your Dragon” franchise. As a child, Thames was obsessed with the animated trilogy about a teenage Viking who befriends an injured dragon named Toothless.
Thames auditioned for the role of Hiccup, beating out over 300 other contenders, and was chosen by director Dean DeBlois, a self-proclaimed fan of the original films. The franchise has huge fan expectations attached to it, but Thames says he wanted to do justice to the character’s nature, humor, and sassiness.
To develop his chemistry with Toothless, a non-sentient scene partner, Thames worked with a puppeteering team in preproduction. He also spent time with a giant foam Toothless head and learned to trust it not to run him into a wall.
Thames has already proven his acting range in films like “Incoming,” “10 Things I Hate About You,” and “The Notebook.” As he looks to the future, he wants to continue making movies that he loved growing up. With “How to Train Your Dragon 2” nearing release, Thames is excited to bring Hiccup’s armor-clad adventure to life.
For Thompson, playing Hiccup is a childhood dream come true, and he’s thrilled to be a part of this beloved franchise.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/15/movies/how-to-train-your-dragon-mason-thames-interview.html