Nick Frost, best known for his roles in Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, has signed on to play a key role in Universal's upcoming live-action How To Train Your Dragon.
Frost will play Gobber the Belch, a fan-favorite character from the animated films.
Gobber is a larger-than-life character that appears in both the book series and the animated films. The village of Berk's blacksmith, Gobber, is responsible for crafting the weapons and armor for the Viking warriors who wage war against dragons.
Craig Ferguson previously voiced Gobber in the animated features.
Recently, the film announced that Gerard Butler would be returning to the How To Train Your Dragon franchise to play village chief Stoick the Vast, a character Butler voiced in the animated films.
Gobber also serves as a mentor fir the main character, Hiccup, offering advice and support as he navigates dragon training and life in general.
The live-action adaptation will be released in theaters on June 13, 2025. The film's original March 14, 2025 release date was delayed owing to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike this summer.
Elio, a Pixar film, will also be released on June 13, 2025. Two weeks later, Disney's live-action Moana adaption starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will be released in theaters.
Dean DeBlois, who wrote and directed all three animated How To Train Your Dragon films, has agreed to pen the script and direct the live-action adaptation.
Hiccup will be played by Mason Thames, who most recently starred in The Black Phone. Nico Parker (daughter of Thandie Newton) will play Astrid, who was Sarah Miller in The Last of Us.
Cressida Cowell's award-winning children's book series inspired the film franchise which has earned more than $1.6 billion globally.
How To Train Your Dragon Official Synopsis: A winning mixture of adventure, slapstick comedy, and friendship, How to Train Your Dragon rivals Kung Fu Panda as the most engaging and satisfying film DreamWorks Animation has produced. Hiccup (voice by Jay Baruchel) is a failure as a Viking: skinny, inquisitive, and inventive, he asks questions and tries out unsuccessful contraptions when he's supposed to be fighting the dragons that attack his village.
His father, chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler), has pretty much given up on his teenage son and apprenticed him to blacksmith Gobber (Craig Ferguson). Worse, Hiccup knows the village loser hasn't a chance of impressing Astrid (America Ferrera), the girl of his dreams and a formidable dragon fighter in her own right. When one of Hiccup's inventions actually works, he hasn't the heart to kill the young dragon he's brought down. He names it Toothless and befriends it, although he's been taught to fear and loathe dragons.