The How to Train Your Dragon franchise is easiest to follow if you separate the central animated story from its television expansions and spin-offs. For most viewers, the best route is the three-film trilogy followed by Homecoming. A fuller chronological watch adds the Dragons television series and four short films between the movies.
The 2025 live-action film belongs outside that timeline. It retells the first animated film rather than continuing Hiccup and Toothless’s story.
The best order for most viewers
If you want the complete Hiccup-and-Toothless story without several dozen television episodes, use this order:
- How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
- How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
- How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)
- How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming (2019)
This preserves the emotional and narrative progression of the animated trilogy. Homecoming takes place before the final epilogue of The Hidden World, but it works better after the trilogy because it looks back on the characters and the changes introduced by the films.
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What each film contributes
| Title | Place in the story |
|---|---|
| How to Train Your Dragon | Hiccup and Toothless meet, and Berk’s relationship with dragons changes. |
| How to Train Your Dragon 2 | Hiccup is older, Berk has become a dragon-friendly community, and a major threat emerges. |
| The Hidden World | The trilogy’s main conflict reaches its conclusion. |
| Homecoming | A holiday follow-up that revisits the human and dragon families. |
Complete chronological order
For the fullest version of the original animated continuity, watch the films, specials, shorts, and television series in this sequence:
- How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
- Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon (2010) — optional short
- Book of Dragons (2011) — optional short
- Gift of the Night Fury (2011) — holiday special
- Dragons: Riders of Berk (2012)
- Dragons: Defenders of Berk (2013–2014)
- Dawn of the Dragon Racers (2014) — optional short
- Dragons: Race to the Edge, Seasons 1–6 (2015–2018)
- How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
- How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)
- How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming (2019)
- Snoggletog Log (2019) — optional short
The placement may look unusual because Race to the Edge was released after How to Train Your Dragon 2. Chronologically, however, the 78-episode series fills in the years before the second film. It is not a sequel to that movie.
Where the television series fit
Dragons: Riders of Berk and Defenders of Berk
These are the first two parts of the original DreamWorks Dragons television continuation. They follow the events of the 2010 film and show how Berk adjusts to living alongside dragons. Watch Riders of Berk first, followed by Defenders of Berk.
Dragons: Race to the Edge
Race to the Edge takes place between the first and second films. It expands the world beyond Berk, develops the main characters, and introduces adventures that lead toward the circumstances of How to Train Your Dragon 2. Watch all six seasons before the second movie if you are following chronology.
For a shorter viewing experience, you can skip the television shows entirely and move directly from the 2010 film to the 2014 sequel. You will miss additional character development, but the film trilogy remains understandable.
Where the short films fit
The official short-film collection includes four principal shorts:
- Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon
- Book of Dragons
- Gift of the Night Fury
- Dawn of the Dragon Racers
A practical placement is to watch the first three after the 2010 film and before Riders of Berk. Place Dawn of the Dragon Racers after Defenders of Berk and before Race to the Edge.
The shorts are useful extras rather than essential chapters. If you are watching only the main story, they can be omitted without creating a gap in the trilogy.
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How to watch the 2025 live-action film
How to Train Your Dragon (2025) is a separate live-action reimagining of the first animated film. It is not How to Train Your Dragon 4, and it does not occur after The Hidden World.
You can watch it before or after the animated trilogy. The most useful comparison is a double feature:
- How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
- How to Train Your Dragon (2025)
Watching the two versions together makes their shared premise and different approaches to Hiccup, Toothless, Berk, and the dragon-human conflict easier to compare. The live-action film opened in U.S. theaters on June 13, 2025, and is available through digital purchase or rental and physical 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD releases.
Where the other franchise series belong
Dragons: Rescue Riders
Rescue Riders follows twins Dak and Leyla, who were raised by dragons. It uses the wider franchise setting but introduces a different cast, locations, and story. It is aimed at a younger audience and is not a required part of Hiccup’s chronology.
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Watch it as a separate spin-off. The original Rescue Riders series and specials are associated with Netflix, while Rescue Riders: Heroes of the Sky is listed by DreamWorks as streaming on Peacock.
Dragons: The Nine Realms
The Nine Realms is set 1,300 years after The Hidden World. It follows a new group of children who discover dragons in the modern world, making it a far-future continuation of the franchise rather than another chapter in Hiccup’s life.
Watch it after the animated trilogy if you want to explore the franchise’s distant future. The series concluded in December 2023 after eight seasons and is currently listed by DreamWorks as available on Hulu and Peacock.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Current U.S. viewing options
Streaming rights change, so check the service before starting a marathon. Current official listings identify these options:
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches| Title or series | Listed U.S. option |
|---|---|
| Dragons: Race to the Edge | Netflix |
| Dragons: The Nine Realms | Hulu and Peacock |
| Dragons: Rescue Riders | Netflix |
| Rescue Riders: Heroes of the Sky | Peacock |
| How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming | Digital and DVD |
| The three animated films and the 2025 film | Digital purchase or rental and physical editions |
Common watch-order mistakes
- Putting Race to the Edge after How to Train Your Dragon 2 when following chronology. The series takes place before the second film.
- Calling the 2025 film a fourth installment. It reimagines the first film rather than continuing the animated timeline.
- Assuming every spin-off is required. Rescue Riders and The Nine Realms feature new protagonists and can be watched independently.
- Treating Riders of Berk and Defenders of Berk as unrelated shows. They are the first two stages of the original animated television continuation.
FAQ
What is the correct order for the main How to Train Your Dragon movies?
Watch How to Train Your Dragon (2010), How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014), The Hidden World (2019), and then Homecoming (2019).
Should I watch Race to the Edge before How to Train Your Dragon 2?
Yes, if you are following chronological order. All six seasons take place between the first and second films, even though the series was released after the second movie.
Is the 2025 How to Train Your Dragon movie a sequel?
No. The 2025 film is a live-action reimagining of the 2010 animated film and belongs in a separate continuity.
Do I need to watch Rescue Riders and The Nine Realms?
No. Both are spin-offs with new characters. The Nine Realms is set 1,300 years after The Hidden World, while Rescue Riders can be watched separately from Hiccup’s story.
The Bottom Line
For most viewers, watch the four central animated releases in this order: How to Train Your Dragon, How to Train Your Dragon 2, The Hidden World, and Homecoming. Add the shorts and television series only if you want the expanded chronology, and treat the 2025 live-action film, Rescue Riders, and The Nine Realms as separate viewing paths.
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