Producer David Cain said that translating an animated world into real-life scale was definitely a challenge. In animation, they could just draw the dragons into the convenient size they needed them to be, “but when you’re working in real spaces, a large dragon is a large dragon and it takes up the space it needs,” said Cain.

The film, directed by Dean DeBlois, tells the story of Hiccup and Toothless, a boy and a dragon who form an unlikely friendship and bridge the gap between their warring species. It stars Mason Thames as Hiccup and Nico Parker as Astrid, with Gerard Butler reprising his role as Stoik the Vast, Hiccup’s father and the Viking chieftain.

Many of the film’s key scenes were shot across Northern Ireland, including iconic locations like Dunseverick Castle, Tollymore Forest, and Belfast’s Titanic Quarter. “A lot of our work takes place on the mythical island of Berk and its village, so we built a lot of our sets outside for natural light and natural weather,” explained Cain.

Visitors to Belfast may have spotted the Viking village sets near the Sampson and Goliath cranes, symbolic of the city’s industrial heritage. Cain praised the local crew and talent pool, noting that Northern Ireland has firmly positioned itself as a major player in the film world.

He added that How to Train Your Dragon could continue the legacy started by Game of Thrones, highlighting Northern Ireland’s cinematic potential. Cain stated that hopefully the film will “draw attention to the talent and locations and stages and the beauty that Northern Ireland has to offer”.

The film opens in cinemas on 13 June.