DreamWorks Dragons
Animated series bridging the first two How to Train Your Dragon films.
DreamWorks Dragons, often shortened to *Dragons*, is an American animated TV series that fills the gap between the first and second *How to Train Your Dragon* movies. It was first announced in 2011 for Cartoon Network, where a special preview aired on August 7, 2012, before the show began its regular run on September 5. This series stands out as the only DreamWorks Animation Television production made for Cartoon Network rather than Nickelodeon. The first two seasons, titled *Riders of Berk* and *Defenders of Berk*, totaled 40 episodes on that network. In 2015, the show shifted to Netflix under the new name *Dragons: Race to the Edge*, launching its first season there on June 26. Four more seasons followed on Netflix between January 2016 and August 2017, later making their linear television debut on Universal Kids starting in September 2017. A sixth and final season arrived on February 16, 2018.
The plot takes place between the two films, following Hiccup as he works to maintain harmony between Vikings and dragons on Berk. Alongside running the new Dragon Training Academy, Hiccup, Toothless, and the other Viking teens face tougher worlds beyond their island, encounter dragons that cannot always be tamed, and confront new enemies determined to shatter the fragile peace between the two groups.
Several actors from the films returned to voice their characters: Jay Baruchel as Hiccup, America Ferrera as Astrid, Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Fishlegs, T.J. Miller as Tuffnut, and David Tennant as Spitelout. New voice actors took over other roles: Julie Marcus (later replaced by Andrée Vermeulen) as Ruffnut, Zack Pearlman as Snotlout, Chris Edgerly as Gobber the Belch, and Nolan North as Stoick the Vast.
The dragon riders include Hiccup, an awkward, slender Viking and son of Berk’s chief, who shares an exceptionally strong bond with his dragon Toothless—a rare male Night Fury with black scales, retractable teeth, and the ability to fire plasma blasts and navigate dark spaces via echolocation. Astrid, Hiccup’s close friend and love interest, serves as the unofficial second-in-command of the academy; she is courageous, competitive, and deeply bonded with her blue female Deadly Nadder, Stormfly, who can shoot magnesium-fueled fire and launch spines from her tail.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Action / Adventure / Fantasy
- Based On
- How to Train Your Dragon · Chris Sanders · Dean DeBlois · William Davies / How to Train Your Dragon · Cressida Cowell
- Developer
- Linda Teverbaugh / Mike Teverbaugh
- Showrunner
- Linda Teverbaugh / Mike Teverbaugh (both; episodes 1–5) / Art Brown / Douglas Sloan (both; episodes 5–118)
- Voices
- Jay Baruchel / Chris Edgerly / America Ferrera / Christopher Mintz-Plasse / Julie Marcus / T.J. Miller / Nolan North / Zack Pearlman / Andrée Vermeulen
- Theme Music Composer
- John Powell
- Open Theme
- "This is Berk" (seasons 1–2) / "Dragon Racing" (seasons 3–8)
- Composer
- John Paesano
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Num Seasons
- 8
- Num Episodes
- 118
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Taking place between How to Train Your Dragon and How to Train Your Dragon 2, DreamWorks Dragons follows Hiccup as he tries to keep balance within the new cohabitation of Dragons and Norse vikings. Alongside keeping up with Berk's newest installment—A Dragon Training Academy—Hiccup, Toothless, and the rest of the Viking Teens are put to the test when they are faced with new worlds harsher than Berk, new dragons that can't all be trained, and new enemies who are looking for every reason to destroy the harmony between Vikings and Dragons altogether. Jay Baruchel (Hiccup), America Ferrera (Astrid), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Fishlegs), T.J. Miller (Tuffnut), and David Tennant (Spitelout) reprise their roles from the films, with new voice actors for Ruffnut (Julie Marcus, later replaced by Andrée Vermeulen), Snotlout (Zack Pearlman), Gobber the Belch (Chris Edgerly), and Stoick the Vast (Nolan North).
Reader's Guide
DreamWorks Dragons expanded the How to Train Your Dragon universe across multiple seasons and platforms, starting on Cartoon Network and later moving to Netflix. The series introduced new dragons, characters, and villains such as Johann, Krogan, Viggo Grimborn, and Drago Bludvist, while deepening the relationships between the dragon riders and their dragons. It served as a crucial narrative link between the first and second films, providing context for events in How to Train Your Dragon 2. The show's move to Netflix and rebranding as Dragons: Race to the Edge allowed for additional seasons, with a total of six seasons overall. Its legacy includes maintaining the franchise's popularity between film releases and offering a detailed look at the world of Berk and its inhabitants.
Did You Know?
- The series was DreamWorks Animation Television's only series produced for Cartoon Network instead of Nickelodeon.
- A total of 40 episodes aired on Cartoon Network across the first two seasons, subtitled Riders of Berk and Defenders of Berk.
- In 2015, the series moved to Netflix and was rebranded Dragons: Race to the Edge, with the first season premiering on June 26.
- The sixth and final season was released on February 16, 2018.
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