Universal’s How to Train Your Dragon is on track to fly in with a global debut of just over $200M, landing higher than pre-weekend projections. The live-action take on the beloved animated franchise through yesterday had grossed $54.9M from the international box office, including $29.1M in previews. When factoring in domestic estimates, the opening start is looking like $200.4M worldwide through Sunday.
A global bow at that level would give Hiccup and Toothless bragging rights to the 4th best worldwide opening of the year so far, behind A Minecraft Movie, Lilo & Stitch and China’s Ne Zha 2. It would also be the 7th biggest for a live-action remake (behind Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Lilo & Stitch, The Jungle Book, Alice in Wonderland and Aladdin).
The Dean DeBlois-directed HTTYD is playing in 81 offshore markets and is on track to gross an estimated $117.7M this session, including previews that began last weekend. That would make the Gerard Butler-starrer the 4th biggest international box office opener of the year among Hollywood movies (behind Lilo, Minecraft and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning).
It would also be the No. 6 offshore launch ever for a live-action remake (behind Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Lilo & Stitch, The Jungle Book and Aladdin).
In terms of individual markets, Mexico kicked into gear with $2.3M on Friday to reach $4.4M including previews. Playing across 3,765 screens, it’s the clear No.1 title in the market with a 68% share.
The UK & Ireland through Friday is at $4.8M, including $3.3M from weekday previews. Friday grossed $1.5M across 2,000 screens, delivering Universal’s 4th No. 1 opening of the year in the market.
China, which did not have previews, launched across 35,000 screens on Friday with $2.3M for the day, ranking No.1 at 44% market share. While not a huge number, it was still good enough for the biggest opening day of a live-action adaptation in the past 5 years, and was in line with Inside Out 2, above Mufasa and more than double Wonka and Sonic 3. The Maoyan score is a strong 9.5.
Brazil on Friday added $689K at No. 1 to bring the running cume to $4.9M including five days of previews. Friday’s gross is on par with Mufasa and above The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Sonic 3.
Korea through Friday zoomed to $5.3M including previews and with a terrific 99% CVG Egg score. The cume to-date has already surpassed the lifetimes of The Little Mermaid and Mufasa in the market.
HTTYD is also flying in at No. 1 in France ($2.8M through Friday); Germany ($2.4M); Australia ($1.5M), Spain ($2M — Friday was the 4th best of the year and tops for the franchise); Italy ($1.4M); and Thailand ($1.1M — posted the biggest opening Friday of 2025).
We’ll have a full update on Sunday.