How to Train Your Dragon fans are still waiting to see Gerard Butler‘s live-action version of Stoick the Vast in the upcoming reboot, but the actor has teased a portrayal that’s faithful to his animated counterpart. Written and directed by Dean DeBlois — who directed the original animated version — the live-action reboot will re-tread the original story, bringing the titular dragons to life with CGI.
Speaking to Collider to promote his new movie, The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland, Gerard Butler discussed the physical pain of shooting the live-action How to Train Your Dragon in Northern Island during Winter. “It was very cold, and kind of miserable,” Butler began.
In the animated version, Stoick the Vast is a hulking, wide-shouldered and barrel-bellied viking with a long beard. His physique is the kind that only works in animation, and Gerard Butler doesn’t look much like his animated character. But, the actor recently revealed the ridiculous amount of costuming and prosthetics that have transformed him into Stoick, and how it was a saving grace against the cold temperatures. As he put it:
“I had seven layers, thick layers. And a thick beard. And I had a bear skin, or a wolves skin over — no, I think it was a bear skin. I don’t know what it was. Anyway, it was heavy as sh*t. When I had my sword and my shield, and the helmet, which was heavy, all those layers with clasps that went round, it was 90lbs of costume. And I was on the coldest day, soaking wet from sweat.”
Unlike his smaller, colder cast mates, Gerard Butler’s incredibly heavy costume was “like a furnace,” keeping him warm during the winter shoots. While it undoubtedly saved the actor from a lot of discomfort, the heat caused by the costume did result in some problems with his make-up and beard. “My beard’s coming off because of the sweat. I just have to stick it back down. My eyebrows [were] coming all down. I had to stick those back down, because I was sweating so much,” he concluded.
Fans Are Divided About the Live-Action ‘How To Train Your Dragon’ Reboot
The first official still from the live-action How To Train Your Dragon movie was officially revealed a few days ago, and it very quickly divided the fan base. The photo shows Mason Thames’ Hiccup standing in the training arena with a helmet, shield, and sword. The image has been praised by many as a perfect live-action adaptation of the beloved character. But not everyone’s impressed.
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Nick Frost Talks Cuddling with Gerard Butler & Their Live-Action How to Train Your Dragon Movie
Nick Frost will play Gobber the Belch opposite Gerard Butler’s Stoick the Vast in the live-action How to Train Your Dragon movie.
As with all live-action remakes of beloved animated projects, some fans are questioning the need for a direct adaptation of How To Train Your Dragon at all. The original animated film is hailed as one of DreamWorks’ greatest of all-time (along with the recently released The Wild Robot). As a result, fans are understandably defensive about the film getting the live-action treatment, especially when it has so rarely worked for other animated powerhouses (like Disney) in the past.
In time, maybe How To Train Your Dragon will show us that it is possible to do animated films justice when they’re re-imagined for live action. Until then, all we can do is speculate.
- Release Date
- March 10, 2010
- Runtime
- 98