How to Train Your Dragon director shares why NI perfect for creating fictional Isle of Berk

"We filmed in such a beautiful location, I think it’s as true to Berk as it would be in real life"

In less than two weeks, Northern Ireland will be on the big screen once again with the release of How To Train Your Dragon.

From three-time Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winner Dean DeBlois, the live-action reimagining of the DreamWorks Animation film was shot on location in Northern Ireland.

Inspired by Cressida Cowell’s New York Times bestselling book series, How to Train Your Dragon is set in the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, and Hiccup stands apart.

The "inventive yet overlooked son" of Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler, reprising his voice role from the animated franchise), Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon.

Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society.

Coming to cinemas on June 9, Universal Pictures Ireland shared a short video explaining why Northern Ireland was the perfect choice for filming the live-action remake.

Three-time Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winning director Dean DeBlois said Northern Ireland is exactly what he had imagined for the Isle of Berk.

He said: "Working in Northern Ireland means that we are essentially stepping in to the world of Berk.

"You get the crashing sea, you get the rugged coastlines, the green rolling hills, the very changeable weather – all of those aspects that you think are associated to the island of Berk are here in plenty."

Nico Parker, who stars as Astrid in the film, added: "We filmed in such a beautiful location, I think it’s as true to Berk as it would be in real life . . . As an actor it’s the dream, it’s so much easier to become your character and step in to this world."

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