Ireland has become a hotbed for dragon-themed productions, with a slew of epic films and TV shows choosing our shores as their backdrop. Christian Bale & Matthew McConaughey started the trend in 2002, spending weeks in the Wicklow mountains filming the post-apocalyptic ‘Reign Of Fire’, its cutting edge special effects gave audiences truly authentic, ultra-realistic dragons for the first time. More recently 2023’s ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ and George RR Martin’s ‘Game of Thrones’ have brought more mythical winged beasts to our island.
Now, the highly anticipated live-action ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ movie joins this fiery legacy. Filmed at scenic locations around Northern Ireland & at Belfast’s Titanic & Harbour studios, the film is a live-action retelling of the DreamWorks animated phenomenon. With four Academy Award nominations and over $1.6 billion in global box office sales, the original animation set the bar high.
To help launch the film Moments Worth Paying For organised an exclusive message for Irish cinema goers with lead cast members Nico Parker, Mason Thames and Gerard Butler to encourage audiences to experience the sweeping landscapes and action-packed adventures on the big screen and support their local cinema.
WATCH THE CLIP
Speaking about the clip and the new film, Liz Bales, Chief Executive at British Association for Screen Entertainment and The Industry Trust for IP Awareness told us “It’s great to see How To Train Your Dragon soar into cinemas in the latest Moments Worth Paying For campaign, reminding audiences across the UK and Ireland that nothing brings us together like the big screen. With an incredible cast delivering such a key message, the campaign powerfully highlights the magic of enjoying these amazing adventures at your local cinema. Thank you to Universal Pictures for their support in making this campaign possible, and to DCM, Pearl & Dean UK and Ireland, and members of the UK Cinema Association for their continued support and dedication to the big screen experience.”
WATCH THE FILM’S TRAILER