Main Cast and Voice Actors
The film features a returning ensemble led by Jay Baruchel as Hiccup, America Ferrera as Astrid, and Cate Blanchett as Valka, with Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, and Jonah Hill reprising their roles from the first film. The sequel introduced Djimon Hounsou as the chief Stoick the Vast and Kit Harington as Eret, a dragon traitor who becomes a key ally. The voice cast was assembled by DreamWorks Animation, with casting directed by Christi Soper Hilt and supported by the studio’s long standing partnership with talent agencies including CAA and WME DreamWorks Animation.
Each actor recorded lines at multiple studios, with direction from Dean DeBlois, who also wrote the screenplay and co produced the film. The cast includes supporting roles voiced by Christopher Mintz Plasse as Fishlegs, T.J. Miller as Tuffnut, and Kristen Wiig as Ruffnut, with additional voices by David Tennant, Craig Robinson, and Zachary Levi. The ensemble structure allows the film to balance humor, action, and emotional beats while maintaining continuity with the original series IMDb.
Characters and Story Roles
Hiccup remains the central protagonist, a young Viking who befriends Toothless and challenges his tribe’s tradition of dragon fighting. Astrid serves as his partner and eventual love interest, while Valka, Hiccup’s long lost mother, introduces a new layer of conflict and empathy toward dragons. Stoick the Vast, voiced by Djimon Hounsou, represents the older generation’s resistance to change before ultimately embracing Hiccup’s vision.
The antagonist Eret, played by Kit Harington, works for the dragon trappers Drago Bludvist, whose off screen presence drives much of the plot. Supporting characters like Fishlegs, Tuffnut, and Ruffnut provide comic relief and expand the world of Berk, while Toothless remains the emotional anchor as a rare Night Fury dragon. The character dynamics were designed to support both standalone storytelling and long term franchise expansion DreamWorks.
Production, Release, and Franchise Impact
How to Train Your Dragon 2 was produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by 20th Century Fox, with a worldwide theatrical release in June 2014. The film was directed by Dean DeBlois and produced by Bonnie Arnold and Brad Lewis, with a budget reported at approximately 145 million dollars. It grossed over 621 million dollars globally, becoming the highest grossing film in the franchise at the time and ranking among the top animated films of the year Box Office Mojo.
The sequel set the stage for the final installment, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, which was released in 2019 and concluded the trilogy. The franchise has since expanded into television series, short films, and theme park attractions, with DreamWorks Animation now operating under NBCUniversal. The cast’s performances have been cited as a key factor in the series’ critical and commercial success, with the films earning multiple Annie Award and Academy Award nominations The Numbers.