If you've been anxiously awaiting the release of Dreamworks Animation's third installment of their HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON series, you'll likely to be disappointed to discover that its release has been pushed back by almost a year, and this isn't even close to the first time the threequel has been delayed.
When the franchise kicked off in 2010, co-director Dean DeBlois layed out plans for several more HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON flicks with the third entry later set for release on June 18, 2016. After jumping ahead by a day to June 17, 2016, the release was later pushed back to June 9, 2017, then again to June 29, 2018, before moving up to May 18, 2018. Today's announcement pushes the release date back almost a year to March 1, 2019. Phew, stop the train, I want to get off. That date will put nearly five years between the release of HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 and HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 3. Hopefully audiences will still be there for the further adventures of Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) and Toothless. As for what those further adventures will entail, the third film will begin as Hiccup has fulfilled his dream of creating a peaceful dragon utopia and Toothless has been drawn away by the discovery of an "untamed, elusive mate." When danger begins to mount at home and Hiccup's reign as chief is tested, both dragn and rider will find themselves faced with impossible decisions to save their kind.
As someone who was pleasantly surprised by both HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON films, it's a little disappointing that we still have a bit of a wait ahead of us, but I'm looking forward to seeing if Dreamworks Animation can deliver the rare third film which lives up to its predecessors. Once again, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON Is currently set for release on March 1, 2019.