Gerard Butler's Billion-Dollar Fantasy Franchise Continues Its Dominating Streak on Global Streaming

3 days ago 7

Gerard Butler in a tux and bowtie on the red carpet

Following an outstanding theatrical run less than a year ago, Gerard Butler's animated fantasy masterpiece is keeping up with its winning streak on streaming. But it's not the only one from the acclaimed franchise doing so! Three movies from the How to Train Your Dragon franchise have been trending on global streaming charts this week, several months after the 2025 remake dominated the box office and became the franchise's highest-grossing film. The films are all based on British author Cressida Cowell's books of the same name and have collectively grossed over a billion dollars.

The second and third installments in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise are currently among the most popular movie titles on HBO Max, alongside the 2025 live-action remake. How to Train Your Dragon 2 was released in US theaters on June 13, 2014, followed by How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World on February 22, 2019. The reboot, on the other hand, hit theaters on June 13, 2025, with Butler reprising his role as Stoick the Vast from the animated films.

Of all the films in the fantasy franchise, the firstHow to Train Your Dragon feature, released in theaters on March 26, 2010, is held in the highest esteem by critics, as indicated by its 99% Certified FreshRotten Tomatoes score. The sequel follows closely with 92%, while The Hidden World holds an approval rating of 90%. Meanwhile, with 77%, the 2025 remake has the lowest critics' rating, but the consensus praises its ability to "reach enchanting heights of its own," even though it doesn't best the first iteration.

'How to Train Your Dragon' Is Worth More Than A Billion Dollars

Written and directed by Dean DeBlois, who co-wrote and directed the animated films, 2025's How to Train Your Dragon grossed $636.4 million worldwide, becoming not only the highest-grossing film in the franchise but also the second-highest-grossing live-action-animated hybrid of all time. In addition to Butler, the remake stars Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gabriel Howell, Julian Dennison, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, Peter Serafinowicz, and Nick Frost. As for the other films' finances, the three animated gems earned over $494.9 million, over $621.5 million, and close to $520 million, respectively, bringing the entire franchise, including the live-action, to a total of over $2.2 billion.