Now That How To Train Your Dragon Is A Hit, Can We Talk About Remaking The Prince Of Egypt?

Guess who's entirely back on the live-action adaptation train, woo-hoo!

Alright, not completely, but after seeing the live-action How To Train Your Dragon that came out on the 2025 movie release schedule, there's a part of me that is. And it's for the reasons you probably think.

But since we're all talking about how incredible this film is, it's time for us to look at another fantastic piece of DreamWorks Animation that could so easily get a tremendous live-action adaptation. That, my friends, is The Prince of Egypt. Do you recall that film? If not, here are the reasons below as to why it should be the next live-action project that Universal undertakes.

The Live-Action How To Train Your Dragon Changed The Game For Adaptations

Before I get into why, the only reason I am writing this is due to the HTTYD adaptation. If you haven't seen it yet, I'm not sure what you're doing here.

I have been an adamant opponent of live-action adaptations, specifically all those upcoming Disney live-action adaptations. I used to support them, but there has been heavy market fatigue within that industry. Most of these adaptations feel like cash grabs and not at all like the original. I mean, even rewatching Snow White on streaming reminded me of why I’m not a huge supporter of them anymore.

But HTTYD took this to another level. Yes, in specific ways, it was a play-by-play of the original movie, so it was bound to be a hit regardless. But it's the way they changed it up in certain spots that made it great. That includes how they easily adapted Nico Parker's casting as well as several others, into Viking lore; how they made the side-characters more loveable; and how great Toothless looked because he was freaking adorable.

Universal knocked it out of the park and so much more, and I could not be more excited for what's to come – which is why I bring up The Prince of Egypt.

I Think The Prince Of Egypt Would Hit Hard As A Live-Action

I know that there's a sequel already lined up for this live-action film – or at least in active development, so in 2027, we'll be seeing live-action How to Train Your Dragon 2 and all of its glory, and Hiccup and Astrid being adorable once again. However, I think that The Prince of Egypt would have a potent impact as a live-action film.

I've talked about The Prince of Egypt several times. It's one of the few DreamWorks Animation movies made in 2D animation before the CGI takeover, and it's hands down one of the best films I have ever seen – and that's saying a lot considering I have watched many movies.

Not only is it a great adaptation of the story of Moses for anyone who wants to learn about him, but this is a visually stunning film. I wonder how the animators nailed it so incredibly because even 27 years later, this animation still looks fantastic on my living room's 85" television. It also has a great villain with Ramses II, and the added background of his familial relationship with Moses creates a complex and interesting tale.

Overall, it's one of the best DreamWorks movies. Full-stop. I would recommend this film over the dragons that we all know and love in How to Train Your Dragon, and that's saying something, mainly when translating it into a live-action movie. Oh, it would hit hard because honestly, the story is truly what drags you in.

The Music Would Be Outstanding

You want to know what else is perfect for this? The soundtrack and the score. The Prince of Egypt is a musical featuring some of the most powerful and emotionally charged musical pieces you will ever hear. Do you know why? Because Hans Zimmer wrote the score.

That's right, it's the man behind iconic scores such as The Lion King, Dune, Pirates of the Caribbean, Inception, Dunkirk, and Interstellar – I could go on and on. His score for The Prince of Egypt, and it's absolutely stunning.

And you want to know who wrote the soundtrack? The songs that are sung? Stephen Schwartz, the same man behind Wicked, Pippin, Godspell, Pocahontas, Enchanted – ugh, the talent here! It would be amazing to hear all this music in a live-action adaptation!

The Scenery Would Be So Easy To Replicate

This isn't that surprising, but the scenery would be pretty easy to replicate.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't want them to pull their punches and do a half-decent job. However, I also feel that because this takes place in ancient Egypt, it's one of those movies that could be filmed pretty well in live-action and could transform easily.

I'd still want it to look the part, but no one can deny that filming a movie in a desert or in front of pyramids is more straightforward than filming with fake dragons. Or I'm just ignorant and don't know how complicated it'd actually be, but that's what I believe. It would still look incredible, especially with today's cameras.

It's Already A Critically Praised Animated Film, So It Would Certainly Live Up To A Live-Action Musical

My biggest reason for believing The Prince of Egypt would be great in live-action is that it is already a critically acclaimed animated film. The blueprint is right there.

Sure, it's not quite up there with HTTYD, and it's probably its an adaptation of a Biblical story, which can lead to certain things getting lost in translation. However, the number of people who love this film nearly 27 years later is large. Its fan base has only grown larger over time – especially with its soundtrack. I feel like I hear "The Plagues" on social media everywhere now.

If, for some reason, this was to become a live-action adaptation, it would likely do very well. There are plenty of other animated movies out there, but this is one I would love to see the most.

Either way, it's only a matter of time before DreamWorks starts rolling out more live-action adaptations. So for now, I'll wait until The Prince of Egypt takes its turn – if I get that lucky.