Cate Blanchett Returns for Live-Action Dragon Sequel
Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett confirms her return as Valka in the upcoming live-action How To Train Your Dragon 2, set to hit theaters in June 2027.
Universal Pictures has secured another major casting win for its upcoming live-action How To Train Your Dragon sequel. Cate Blanchett will return to play Valka, the dragon-rescuing mother of protagonist Hiccup, reprising her voice role from the 2014 animated hit.
The announcement comes as Universal builds momentum for the June 11, 2027 release. Blanchett joins Gerard Butler as the second original cast member confirmed for the live-action adaptation. Butler previously returned as Stoic in the first live-action film that opened last year.
Star Power Behind the Dragon
Blanchett brings serious Hollywood credentials to the project. The two-time Oscar winner earned her Academy Awards for The Aviator and Blue Jasmine across eight total nominations. Her recent work spans from Tár to Thor: Ragnarok, plus memorable turns in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Carol.
Her latest projects include Steven Soderbergh's Black Bag and Jim Jamursch's Father Mother Sister Brother. The casting adds another A-list name to a roster that includes Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James, and Harry Trevaldwyn.
Proven Formula
Director Dean DeBlois returns to helm the sequel after directing both the original animated How To Train Your Dragon 2 and last year's live-action remake. The 2014 animated version earned widespread critical praise, with many calling it superior to the first film.
That sequel generated $622 mn worldwide and scored a Golden Globe win for Best Animated Feature. It also earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Film at the 87th Academy Awards, plus an Annie Award for Best Animated Feature.
Box Office Success
The live-action How To Train Your Dragon proved audiences wanted more dragon adventures. Opening fifteen years after the original animated film, it pulled in $262 mn domestically and ranked among 2025's top ten highest-grossing movies.
Worldwide numbers reached $636 mn, claiming the eighth spot at the global box office for 2025. The film earned a 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, actually beating the original's rating by six percentage points. Universal seems pleased enough with these results to potentially greenlight a live-action version of How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World to complete the trilogy.