15 Epic Movies Like How to Train Your Dragon share the core themes of unlikely bonds, epic adventure, or a powerful coming-of-age journey.
I. Unlikely Bonds & Creature Friendships
This category features films where a powerful bond between a human hero and a non-human companion drives the story.
1. Big Hero 6 (2014)
| Similarity to HTTYD | Details |
| Central Bond | Like Hiccup and Toothless, this story centers on a young, grieving hero (Hiro) who forms a profound, therapeutic friendship with his non-human companion, the inflatable robot Baymax. |
| Action & Heart | It perfectly balances thrilling, high-tech superhero action with a sincere emotional core about coping with loss. |
| Streaming | Disney+ (Available to rent/buy on major platforms). |
2. Lilo & Stitch (2002)
This Disney classic features one of the most heartwarming friendships in animation. Lilo, an eccentric Hawaiian girl, adopts Stitch, a destructive alien experiment, mistaking him for a dog. Their bond is a poignant exploration of ‘Ohana’ (family) and acceptance, mirroring the unconditional love between Hiccup and Toothless.
3. The Iron Giant (1999)
A powerful parable set in the Cold War era. A young boy named Hogarth hides a massive alien robot from a paranoid government agent. The film perfectly captures the “misunderstood creature” theme, where a fearful society tries to destroy what the hero seeks to protect, echoing the initial conflict on Berk.
4. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Steven Spielberg’s timeless masterpiece focuses on the emotional depth of the friendship between a boy, Elliot, and a lost alien. The struggle to hide E.T. from authorities and help him return home creates a powerful, tear-jerking narrative centered on courage and profound connection.
5. Pete’s Dragon (2016)
This live-action remake is perhaps the most direct comparison to HTTYD. It tells the touching story of an orphaned boy, Pete, who lives in the forest with his best (and secret) friend, Elliot, a large, furry dragon. Their deep, protective bond is the absolute heart of the film.
II. Adventure, Mythical Worlds & Fantasy
These selections focus on grand scale, epic quests, and the deep integration of fantasy and myth.
6. Avatar (2009)
The closest live-action parallel to the bond between Hiccup and Toothless is the relationship formed between Jake Sully and his Banshee (Ikran) on Pandora. The film features massive world-building, spectacular flying sequences, and a core theme of a human integrating into an indigenous society and protecting a mystical, threatened environment.
7. Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Produced by DreamWorks, this film showcases stunning animation and an epic battle between childhood legends (Santa, the Easter Bunny, etc.) and the boogeyman, Pitch Black. The main character, Jack Frost, is an outsider who must prove his worth to his peers, much like Hiccup, to fulfill his destiny.
8. Dragonheart (1996)
A beloved live-action classic about an unlikely alliance between Bowen, a cynical knight, and Draco, the last dragon (voiced by Sean Connery). They team up to defeat an evil king, built entirely on the powerful, reluctant, and often humorous partnership between human and dragon.
9. Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)
This film plunges viewers into the world of Kumandra, a society fractured by a past dragon sacrifice. Warrior Princess Raya must find the last dragon, Sisu, and learn to rebuild trust among people to save the world. It’s a beautifully animated adventure with dragons central to the lore.
10. Princess Mononoke (1997)
Hayao Miyazaki’s masterwork explores the complex and mature theme of the conflict between humanity and the natural world/animal gods. Like HTTYD, it features misunderstood creatures and heroes caught in a war where the stakes are existential, presented on a stunning, epic scale.
III. Coming-of-Age & Unlikely Heroes
These movies focus on an underdog hero who finds inner strength and succeeds by embracing what makes them different.
11. Kung Fu Panda (2008)
Another successful DreamWorks film, Po is the ultimate unlikely hero—a clumsy panda working in a noodle shop who is unexpectedly chosen as the legendary Dragon Warrior. His journey from zero to hero, relying on unconventional wisdom, perfectly echoes Hiccup’s triumph through uniqueness.
12. Brave (2012)
The main character, Princess Merida, is a headstrong, non-conformist hero like Hiccup. Set in mythical, rugged Scotland, Merida challenges ancient traditions and inadvertently curses her mother into a bear. The resulting adventure is about understanding, familial love, and reversing the damage caused by defying expectations.
13. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
This groundbreaking animated film focuses on Miles Morales, a young hero who must step up to a massive responsibility he never asked for. The theme of embracing uniqueness, dealing with imposter syndrome, and learning to cooperate with an oddball team mirrors the character growth and teamwork essential to HTTYD.
14. Abominable (2019)
A heartwarming DreamWorks/Pearl Studio adventure about a young girl named Yi who discovers a lost Yeti (E.T.) on her rooftop. She and her friends embark on a massive cross-country quest to return him to Mount Everest. It shares HTTYD‘s themes of magical friendship and a high-stakes, geographically expansive journey.
15. The Croods (2013)
This DreamWorks adventure centers on a prehistoric family forced to leave the only life they’ve ever known and journey into a spectacular, dangerous new world. The core idea of being forced to adapt to radical change and embrace a new reality mirrors the Viking society’s necessary shift from dragon-slaying to dragon-riding.
🔎 More Recommendations by Key Theme
| HTTYD Theme Loved | Movie Recommendation | Core Similarity & Why You’ll Like It |
| Found Family & Misfits | Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) | A ragtag group of outlaws and loners from different worlds who, against all odds, forge an unbreakable, unconventional bond, proving that family is chosen. |
| Stunning, Detailed Animation | Klaus (2019) | Features one of the most visually distinctive 2D animation styles in modern cinema, with masterfully artistic lighting and color palettes that create a profound visual experience. |
| Dragons & Mythical Lore | Eragon (2006) | A traditional high fantasy adventure where a humble farm boy discovers a dragon egg, learns he is a Dragon Rider, and is thrust into an epic war to save his kingdom. |
| Emotional Fantasy & Dragon Transformation | Spirited Away (2001) | Studio Ghibli’s masterpiece features a deep friendship between the main character, Chihiro, and the mysterious boy Haku, who is revealed to be a magnificent dragon. |
✅ Conclusion: Finding Your Next Animated Adventure
The enduring appeal of How to Train Your Dragon lies in its ability to combine epic fantasy and breathtaking spectacle with profound emotional honesty. This list offers verified, high-quality alternatives that capture that same spirit—whether it’s the thrill of an unlikely friendship, the power of a coming-of-age story, or the excitement of soaring through a fantastical world.
Which of these animated masterpieces will you watch next to satisfy your craving for high-flying adventure?
