Mason Thames has had an impressive year as a rising star. In the summer, he was front and center playing Hiccup in the live-action remake of How To Train Your Dragon, and in the last month, he has been on the big screen in both Regretting You and Black Phone 2. It’s been a wild 2025 for the actor, and as he prepares to start work on How To Train Your Dragon 2 – which will soon begin production – he has reflected on the honor he has been bestowed to reprise beloved characters on the big screen.
Black Phone 2 sees Thames return as Finney Blake from 2021’s The Black Phone, the young protagonist having matured significantly since we last saw him, and when I spoke with the actor last week, I asked how his experience making the sequel is impacting his approach to How To Train Your Dragon 2. He couldn’t say too much about the anticipated blockbuster, but he noted one constant is recognizing the love of the fans, and he added that the animated feature from 2014 is a movie that means a lot to him personally:
I mean, it's kind of a thing where people love these characters so much and including myself, so you really wanna do right by them and make them proud and pick up in the second film. I mean, the second film to me is... I have a very... that film, especially in the trilogy, has a very close place in my heart. So I'm really, really excited. I start that pretty soon.
While all of the movies in the original How To Train Your Dragon trilogy were acclaimed, Mason Thames is most certainly not alone in his particular love for the first sequel, which jumps ahead five years and finds the world of Berk remade thanks to accepted co-existence with dragons. In addition to the plot involving Hiccup working to stop a crew of dragon trappers, the story also sees him reunited with his long last mother, Valka (who is voiced by Cate Blanchett).
Continuing, Thames added that he recognizes that the vast majority of actors don’t get the opportunity to reprise one film character let alone multiple, and his excitement for what’s on the way apparently can match anyone’s:
I don't know what else I can say, but I would say just coming back into a character is a really fun and honoring experience. A lot of people don't get the chances to go into sequels and it's a really crazy experience coming back to a character for a second time. It's one of my favorites.
Written and directed by original trilogy-helmer Dean DeBlois, How To Train Your Dragon 2 follows up the massive blockbuster success of its 2025 predecessor, which earned over $600 million worldwide at the box office during its theatrical run. Fans will have to exhibit some patience waiting for the new release, as it won’t be in theaters until June 11, 2027 – but those of you who want to see what Mason Thames can do when he really gets to sink his teeth into a character can check out Black Phone 2, which is now available for digital rental and purchase from all major online outlets.
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