Gerard Butler’s highly anticipated fantasy sequel just got an exciting update. News broke this afternoon that Ólafur Darri Ólafsson has joined the cast of How to Train Your Dragon 2 as the villain Drago. Djimon Hounsou previously voiced the character in the animated film of the same name that released in 2014. Olafsson joins Butler, Mason Thames, and Nico Parker in the sequel, and it was also announced earlier this week that Cate Blanchett is returning to reprise her animated role as Valka, Hiccup’s mother. This came after Butler called for her to star in the film late last year.
Ólafsson is best known for his role as Andri in the Apple TV original series Trapped, and also for playing Mr. Drummond in the hit sci-fi series, Severance. He was also recently seen in another Apple TV show, Your Friends & Neighbors, as Christian. It’s disappointing to fans of the animated films that Hounsou has been recast, but Ólafsson certainly has the stature to more closely match that of Drago in live-action. Game of Thrones veteran Kit Harington also had a voice role in How to Train Your Dragon 2 as Eret, but it has yet to be announced if he will star in the live-action remake.
How to Train Your Dragon 2’s biggest star, Gerard Butler, is having a bit of bad luck at the box office to begin the year. He can be seen reprising his role as John Garrity in Greenland 2: Migration, but the film is shaping up to be a box office disaster. Lionsgate reportedly spent around $90 million on the making of Greenland 2, and the film has just barely earned back 10% of this during its first week. It will pass $11 million at the global box office today, and it needs nearly $200 million to break even.
When Does ‘How To Train Your Dragon 2’ Come Out?
How to Train Your Dragon 2 has already been set for release on June 11, 2027, almost exactly two years after the release of the first film. Production is set to begin in the next few months, which will give the post-production team plenty of time to polish up the many flying creatures sure to be present. A third live-action film has not yet been confirmed, but if the sequel finds the same box office success, it will surely be announced at some point.
Watch the first film on Peacock.
via Collider