Directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois for DreamWorks Animation, How to Train Your Dragon offers a loose adaptation of Cressida Cowell’s novel, telling a family-friendly adventure about the unlikely friendship between a young Viking and a feared dragon. Released in theaters in 2010, the film, which features French voices including Donald Reignoux and Emmanuel Jacomy, will be available on Netflix starting January 9, 2026. It marks a significant step in DreamWorks' shift towards ambitious digital animation, a move that was kickstarted after Kung Fu Panda and further reinforced by this project.
Harold, a teenage outsider in a Viking tribe that still upholds a centuries-old tradition of dragon hunting, struggles to find his place. His world is turned upside down when he encounters Krokmou, a wounded dragon he decides to spare. The fragile bond that forms between them challenges everything he thought he knew about these creatures, leading him to a fresh understanding of the world around him.
While his community remains determined to fight the dragons, Harold finds that there’s another way. The bond with Toothless becomes a driving force both narratively and emotionally, pitting the inherited certainties of the village against the young hero’s personal journey. The film delves into themes of learning, embracing the unknown, and challenging longstanding traditions.
The production relied heavily on in-depth visual research. The creative team drew inspiration from the volcanic landscapes of the Pacific coast, particularly Cannonball Beach in Oregon, to craft the dragons’ habitat, characterized by dark rocks and colorful cliffs. Renowned cinematographer Roger Deakins, a multiple-time Oscar nominee, contributed as a visual consultant, providing crucial expertise in lighting and atmosphere. The special effects required large-scale pyrotechnic demonstrations, filmed at up to 1,000 frames per second, to capture the intricate textures of the flames.
The film also sets itself apart by choosing to portray the dragons as mute, a departure from the book, to emphasize their animalistic nature. The writers introduced the character of Astrid—absent from the original novel—to provide a female figure for young female viewers to identify with. As the Sanders/DeBlois duo’s first computer-animated feature, How to Train Your Dragon launches a trilogy that has become a benchmark in modern family animation.
Dragons
Film | 2010
Release date in cinemas: March 31, 2010
Available on Netflix starting January 9, 2026
Animation, adventure, family | Duration: 1h33
Directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois | Starring Donald Reignoux, Jay Baruchel, Emmanuel Jacomy
Original title: How to Train Your Dragon
Country: United States
With its cohesive universe, heartfelt take on the human-animal bond, and spectacular direction, Dragons offers a fresh, modern take on the coming-of-age story. When it arrives on Netflix in 2026, audiences will have the chance to rediscover a landmark in American animation that laid the groundwork for a beloved franchise.
For a deeper dive, check out our curated list of Netflix's new releases for January, our guide to latest streaming titles across all platforms, and today’s top pick in our “What to Watch Today in Streaming” selection.
