Gerard Butler was almost recast in How To Train Your Dragon‘s live-action remake. Coming to theaters on June 13, the reimagination of the original 2010 animated movie follows the Viking boy, Hiccup, as he befriends a dragon named Toothless. With the original writer and director, Dean DeBlois, at the helm, How To Train Your Dragon‘s cast includes Mason Thames, Nico Parker, and Nick Frost, among others. Bulter, who voiced the Viking leader Stoick in the animated movie, reprises his role as Hiccup’s father in the live-action remake.

In an interview with Empire Magazine, Butler and DeBlois revealed the hard-fought journey to keep the original Stoick star in the remake. The director explained that initially, there were scheduling conflicts, and with other actors being considered for the role, the actor shared that there were also doubts about him being the right choice. Read their comments below:

DeBlois: I [texted] Gerry and I said, “Just so you know, we really tried, and it’s really disappointing to me that you can’t ᴀssume the role.

Butler: Immediately, I went, “Wait a minute, wait a minute.” What are you saying here?… Dean fought really hard to get me, when maybe the studio was saying, “Do we not get somebody bigger?”

What This Means For How To Train Your Dragon

Both Gerard Butler & Dean DeBlois Fought Hard To Keep The Original Stoick Voice Actor In The Remake

Aside from Butler being the sole voice actor to return to the How To Train Your Dragon franchise, DeBlois stressed the actor’s love for Vikings and mythology and his ability to draw from personal experience to “dig into” the father-and-son relationship is what makes him the perfect person to play the tribe’s leader.

As the director explained in the same interview, How To Train Your Dragon‘s plot revolves around a coming-of-age story and tackles “parental expectations.” In addition to fighting for Butler, the director also encountered some difficulties finding the right teen actor for Hiccup, who could channel a “gangly quality” while not losing a vulnerable edge, and Thames’ performance in The Black Phone played a significant role in his casting.

Our Take On Gerard Butler’s Role In How To Train Your Dragon

Gerard Butler Is The Perfect Stoick

How To Train Your Dragon‘s trailer offers a sneak peek of Butler’s Viking father, who’s facing challenges as a leader while having a hard time with his teenage son. While the live-action version of Stoick might not be as disproportionally huge as the animated version, the actor does a great job of depicting the heightened emotional journey his character goes through.

Stoick’s scenes in the trailers speak louder than words. Butler’s performance adds depth to the Viking leader, and it nearly wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for the mutual dedication both the director and the actor had for the How To Train Your Dragon live-action remake.

Source: Empire Magazine