‘How to Train Your Dragon 3’ to see a mature Hiccup

“How to Train Your Dragon 3” has moved to a later US release date from May 18, 2018 to March 1, 2019. Although fans would have to wait for two more years, it seems the wait is going to be worth it as the upcoming film will see Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) as a mature Viking.

Hiccup is the son of Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler), who leads the Viking island of Berk in the first and second films. Seeing the former as a mature Viking would be interesting since he earlier appeared as a clumsy, skinny and unlikely dragon master.

The film’s main protagonist has become the talk of Berk when he started to become friends with Toothless, a member of the unusual Night Fury dragon breed. He and his dragon will become the chiefs of their respective tribes as hinted by the film’s director.

Director Dean DeBlois teased fans on what to expect in the next film, saying the third movie will take the story to where the book has started. He was referring to Cressida Cowell’s book of the same name. "Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III was an awesome sword-fighter, a dragon-whisperer and the greatest Viking Hero who ever lived. But it wasn't always like that," the synopsis reads.

DeBlois refers to the time when Hiccup, as an adult, reflects back on the point when dragons are around. “Why and could they come back and the mystery of what all that is will be saved for the actual story,” the director told Collider.

As a mature Viking, Hiccup fulfils his ambition of peaceful dragon utopia according to the film’s logline provided exclusively to Deadline. Toothless, on the other hand, unveils an “untamed, elusive mate” draws the Night Fury away.

Since Hiccup will be a mature character in the upcoming film, it seems he has what it takes to be the leader of the village. “When danger mounts at home and Hiccup’s reign as village chief is tested, both dragon and rider must make impossible decisions to save their kind,” the logline further reveals.

In 2015, DeBlois said he’s currently on page 60 of the threequel’s screenplay. He also shared that it took him a long time to pick outline before he proceeded to write the script. “There were a few months of pitching outlines and making sure that everybody was content with where it was headed, and now I’m deep into the script," he said.

“How to Train Your Dragon 3” release date in Australia is yet to be announced. Thereelbits.com listed it as June 21, 2018 prior to the update.