The live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon had a strong lift-off at the box office this weekend, earning an impressive $83.7 million in its North American debut, according to Comscore’s Sunday estimates.
Directed by Dean DeBlois, who returns to the franchise, the film follows the story of Hiccup (played by Mason Thames), a young Viking, and his unlikely bond with the dragon Toothless. The movie outperformed the 2019 animated installment, The Hidden World, which debuted with $55 million.
Internationally, the film brought in an additional $114.1 million, pushing its global earnings to $197.8 million.
“This is a prime example of a live-action remake fulfilling the promise of its promotional campaign,” said Paul Dergarabedian, a senior analyst at Comscore. “Summer releases like this continue to perform exceptionally well.”
The film dethroned Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, which had been No. 1 for three consecutive weekends. The hybrid live-action version of the animated classic earned another $15 million, raising its domestic total to over $386.3 million.
In third place was Materialists, a modern romantic comedy set in New York and starring Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans. It debuted with $12 million and centers on a savvy matchmaker entangled between a struggling actor ex and a wealthy new suitor.
Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning came in fourth with $10.3 million, just holding on to double digits.
Ballerina, a spinoff of the John Wick franchise starring Ana de Armas and featuring Keanu Reeves in a supporting role, earned $9.4 million to land in fifth place. Despite good reviews, it has yet to break out, though analysts suggest it could follow the slow-burn success of the original John Wick after streaming.
Other notable entries in the top 10 included:
6th: Karate Kid: Legends – $5 million
7th: Final Destination: Bloodlines – $3.9 million
8th: The Phoenician Scheme – $3 million
9th: The Life of Chuck – $2.1 million
10th: Sinners – $1.4 million, notable for still drawing audiences two months after release and while being available for home streaming
Overall, the 2025 box office is currently 23% ahead of this time last year. Dergarabedian expressed optimism for upcoming summer releases like Eilo, F1, Superman, and 28 Days Later to keep momentum strong.
Weekend Top 10 (Domestic Box Office Estimates):
How to Train Your Dragon – $83.7M
Lilo & Stitch – $15.5M
Materialists – $12M
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – $10.3M
Ballerina – $9.4M
Karate Kid: Legends – $5M
Final Destination: Bloodlines – $3.9M
The Phoenician Scheme – $3M
The Life of Chuck – $2.1M
Sinners – $1.4M