Roy Lee Teases the Emotional Evolution and Live-Action Scale of How to Train Your Dragon Sequel
While promoting his upcoming thriller Psycho Killer, producer Roy Lee opened up in an interview about what fans can expect from the next chapter of the live-action Dragon saga—and why the emotional core of Hiccup and Astrid remains the driving force.
Lee emphasized that the sequel’s approach is rooted in what already worked so well in animation: character-first storytelling paired with sweeping spectacle.
“The animated sequel really hit that balance well,” Lee explained. “And it’s going to be similar to that—especially since you have the same lead actors, the same director, and the same writer. It’s a really cool way of seeing that story translated into live action.”
Rather than reinventing the narrative, Lee says the team is focused on evolution—expanding emotional stakes while using live-action filmmaking to heighten the visual scale.
“It’s about taking what people loved and letting them experience it in a new way,” he said. “You’re seeing those relationships grow, but now everything feels more immediate and real.”
Lee, whose company Vertigo Entertainment has been behind major global hits like The Lego Movie and It, sees the franchise as uniquely suited for this kind of transition. The grounded emotional arcs of the characters allow the spectacle to feel earned rather than overwhelming.
For audiences returning to the world of How to Train
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Your Dragon, Lee believes the live-action format will deepen the sense of immersion in ways animation could only suggest.
“When people see it,” he added, “I think they’re going to be really impressed by how that world comes to life. It’s the same heart—just experienced on a different scale.”
The comments came as Lee discussed balancing multiple genres in his producing slate, from darker material like Psycho Killer to large-scale family franchises—demonstrating his ongoing interest in stories that combine strong emotional hooks with bold cinematic vision.
