How to Train Your Dragon and the Best Dragon Movies You Need to Watch
If the recent live-action adaption of How to Train Your Dragon sparked your love for fire-breathing beasts and epic fantasy adventures, consider this your essential watchlist. From nostalgic cult classics to Oscar-winning blockbusters, these dragon-centric films are proof that the legendary creature still rules on screen.
How to Train Your Dragon (Live Action)
But first, let’s look at the one that reignite our obsession with dragons. Surprisingly faithful to the original, the new live-action take captures the emotional core of Hiccup’s story: a Viking misfit who dares to befriend the enemy. Set on an island where slaying dragons is tradition, Hiccup’s bond with Toothless challenges everything his clan believes. To bring peace between dragons and humans, he must defy his warrior father and face down a terrifying dragon queen threatening them all.
Pete’s Dragon
A heartwarming reimagining of Disney’s 1977 film, this tale follows a young boy living in the forest with his only friend—a gentle giant of a dragon named Elliot. When he’s adopted into human society, Elliot’s existence is at risk. What follows is a tender story of friendship, protection, and wonder.
The NeverEnding Story
An ‘80s classic that celebrates childhood imagination. When bullied schoolboy Bastian stumbles upon a mysterious book, he’s pulled into the world of Fantasia—a magical realm facing extinction. There, he meets Falkor, a luckdragon who helps him become the hero of a story he’s unknowingly writing.
Damsel
Millie Bobby Brown plays Elodie, a young woman promised in marriage to a royal family—only to discover she’s been offered as a human sacrifice to a hidden dragon. With betrayal and dark secrets at every turn, she must save herself and uncover the truth behind the ancient ritual.
Godzilla Minus One
While not a traditional dragon, Godzilla embodies the same elemental terror. Set in postwar Japan, this Oscar-winning film paints a grim portrait of national recovery, shattered again by a monstrous creature born of atomic horror. It’s Godzilla like you’ve never seen him—raw, relentless, and deeply human.
Mulan
In Disney’s animated epic, Mulan disguises herself as a male soldier to protect her father and ends up changing history. Her spirited companion, Mushu—a small but fierce dragon—adds comic relief while helping her fulfill her destiny and honor her family.
Sleeping Beauty
A fairytale with one of cinema’s most iconic dragon moments. When the scorned sorceress Maleficent crashes a royal christening, she curses the princess and ultimately transforms into a fearsome dragon to stop true love’s kiss. Classic Disney villainy at its most fiery.
Spirited Away
Studio Ghibli’s Oscar-winning masterpiece blends tradition, fantasy, and surrealism. Young Chihiro finds herself in a mysterious spirit world, where she meets Haku—a river spirit who can take the form of a dragon. It’s an emotionally rich journey filled with magic, loss, and self-discovery.
The Hobbit Trilogy
Smaug, the fire-breathing dragon voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch, is at the heart of this prequel to The Lord of the Rings. Bilbo Baggins joins a band of dwarves on a perilous quest to reclaim their homeland from Smaug, who slumbers atop a mountain of stolen gold.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Dragons make a dramatic appearance in the Triwizard Tournament, where selected students must face off against deadly species in a fiery test of courage and magic. A must-watch for fantasy fans craving magical beasts and high-stakes action.
Dragonheart
A cult ‘90s fantasy starring Dennis Quaid and the voice of Sean Connery as Draco the dragon. When a dying prince is saved by sharing a dragon’s heart, an eternal bond is formed. But when that prince becomes a tyrant, man and beast must fight together to set things right.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Marvel enters mythical territory with this martial arts epic, where ancient powers and emotional legacies collide. Shang-Chi must confront his father’s dark ambitions, and ultimately, join forces with a majestic dragon to stop an ancient evil from breaking into the world.
Reign of Fire
Christian Bale, Matthew McConaughey, and Gerard Butler face off against a world dominated by dragons in this post-apocalyptic thriller. After dragons reawaken and decimate civilization, one hunter becomes humanity’s last hope in a fiery battle for survival.
Red Dragon
Not your typical dragon flick—but worth a mention. This psychological thriller sees Edward Norton chasing a serial killer obsessed with transformation, believing he’s becoming a dragon. Featuring chilling performances from Anthony Hopkins and Ralph Fiennes.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Again, no literal dragons, but the dragon tattoo is symbolic. In this gritty crime mystery, Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig unravel a decades-old disappearance tied to a wealthy family’s dark secrets. A fierce hacker and a disgraced journalist team up in this tense, cerebral thriller.
How to Train Your Dragon
Jay Baruchel and Gerard Butler lend their voices to this beloved animated tale of Vikings and dragons. Set in a small Viking village constantly raided by dragons who steal their food, the story takes a turn when the chief’s son, Hiccup, finds an injured dragon. Rather than slay it, he forms an unlikely bond and learns that dragons aren’t the enemy—they could be allies. His discovery could change everything, if he can convince his tribe.
Raya and the Last Dragon
Oscar-nominated and co-directed by Mexican filmmaker Carlos López Estrada, this visually stunning fantasy takes place in a fractured land plagued by dark creatures that turn people into stone. In the middle of the chaos, young warrior Raya sets out to find the last living dragon—Sisu—a quirky, magical being who might just be the key to saving humanity and healing the rifts of the past.
The Sword in the Stone
A Disney classic that blends myth, magic, and a bit of dragon fire. Young Arthur pulls the legendary sword from the stone, setting him on the path to become king of England. Guided by the eccentric wizard Merlin, Arthur learns life lessons through magical transformations—including an unforgettable magical duel with a wicked witch who transforms into a fearsome dragon. One of cinema’s most iconic animated showdowns.
First published on gq.com.mx
