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How to Train Your Dragon (2025 soundtrack)
2025 film score by John Powell From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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How to Train Your Dragon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the film score to the 2025 film How to Train Your Dragon; a live-action remake of the 2010 animated film of the same name. John Powell, who composed the original film trilogy returned to score the film. It was released under the Back Lot Music label on June 13, 2025, the same day as the film.
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Development
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In February 2023, John Powell revealed he was set to compose the film's music, after he previously scored the original film trilogy.[1] DeBlois recalled that "John saw the same potential that I did; he believed that if we made a live-action version with love and respect for the fan base, it could end up being a nostalgic hug for existing fans and a whole new experience for a new generation. So, he said: 'If you're in, I'm in.'" For the live action film, Powell revisited his work for the original film and instead of reusing the same tunes, he had to honor the original film, which was difficult as the storytelling and filmmaking techniques were different from the original film, including the change of tempo, key and orchestrations, as well as the pacing, approach and emphasis in the tunes. Powell said, "It just took an awful lot of massaging and managing and chipping away at it. I feel like I did about three months of sanding."[2]
During the Palisades Fire incident in January 2025, Powell worked on the film's music finding a certain cue for the score. Having lived in the Palisades for around two decades, and noticing the fires start and put out and warnings put down and rescinded, the current situation was much different with the situation escalating at times, which led Powell covering the vents and holes in the house and spraying with pool pumps but still could not stop thinking about the score. But after his son messaged him, multiple times reminding him of the incident, he became aware of the situation and vacated the place taking two poodles and a 12-terabyte backup drive that contained every single piece of music he written.[2][needs copy edit] After the incident, he moved to an Airbnb several times and then to Hans Zimmer's studio Remote Control Productions in Santa Monica, California, for working on the score. Having a month left to record the orchestra, Powell felt confident, saying, "It wasn't like I could call Universal and say, 'Can we move the recording dates and the mixing dates and the release date?' I have a responsibility to make sure that I get the music done on time [...] You've just got the work in front of you, and that becomes the most important thing at that moment, which is slightly sad to say, but it's a useful thing under those sort of circumstances."[2]
The recording of the orchestral sections happened at the AIR Studios in London, with Gavin Greenaway conducting the 120-piece London Symphony Orchestra. However, Powell conducted the 60-member vocal choir at the Newman Scoring Stage on the 20th Century Studio lot.[2]
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Release
The soundtrack was preceded by the lead single "Test Driving Toothless" which released on May 27, 2025.[3] It was released through Back Lot Music label on June 13, the same day as the film.[4] Mondo Media released the physical editions of the album via 2-disc CD digipak on June 27, and will release it as a 3-disc vinyl LP on July 25.[5][6]
Track listing
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All music is composed by John Powell.
Reception
Zanobard Reviews rated the soundtrack an 8/10 and wrote "John Powell tries to improve upon perfection with his score for the live-action How to Train Your Dragon movie, to honestly some pretty impressive results. A crisp, refined sound to the orchestration and some utterly stellar cues – including the new "Test Driving Toothless" and an absolute treat of an end credits suite – make this soundtrack a genuine joy to experience, no matter how you feel about remakes."[7] Filmtracks wrote "Powell provides an incredibly vibrant and smart companion to the original 2010 classic. Regardless of what you think about studio money grabs, embrace a rare opportunity to experience this music all over again."[8]
Peter Debruge of Variety noted that Powell's score "conveys the dragon's share of their cross-species affinity".[9] Dessi Gomez of Deadline Hollywood wrote "John Powell's return to compose the music and build on his previously established themes helps the story soar."[10] Shannon Connellan of Mashable called it a "treasured score",[11] while Clarisse Loughrey of The Independent and Ethan Anderton of /Film called it "recognizable" and "triumphant".[12][13]
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Personnel credits
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Credits adapted from liner notes:[14]
- Music composer and producer: John Powell
- Music editors: Bill Bernstein, Simon Changer
- Additional music: Batu Sener, Markus Siegel, James McKee Smith, Paul Mounsey, Dominic Lewis, Michael Mollo
- Additional arrangements: George Doering, Pedro Eustache, Germaine Franco, Maeve Gilchrist, Gabe Witcher, Batu Sener, Markus Siegel, James McKee Smith, Paul Mounsey, Dominic Lewis, Michael Mollo
- Orchestration: Jonathan Beard, Edward Trybek, Henri Wilkinson, Tracie Turnbull, John Ashton Thomas, Dave Metzger, David Greenaway, Germaine Franco, Jessica Wells, Stefan Schneider, Angus O'Sullivan, Daniel Baker, James K. Lee
- Additional orchestration: Benjamin Hoff, Sean Barrett, Jamie Thierman, Jacob Shrum, Steven Rader, Jennifer Dirkes
- Orchestra conductor: Gavin Greenaway
- Choir conductor: John Powell
- Orchestra leader: Jeremy Isaac
- Orchestra contractor: Isobel Griffiths Ltd.
- Choir contractors: Holly Sedillos, Edie Lehmann Boddicker
- Recorded at: AIR Studios, The Newman Scoring Stage
- AIR Studios crew: Charlotte Matthews, Katy Jackson
- The Newman Scoring Stage Crew: Stacey Robinson, Damon Tedesco, Hoss Yekband
- Recording engineers: Nick Wollage, John Michael Caldwell
- Assistant engineers: Rebecca Hordern, Wil Jones, Tim Lauber, Adam Magson, Jim Wright
- Score recordists: John Prestage, Chandler Harrod
- Score mixed at: 5 Cat Studios
- Score mixer: John Michael Caldwell
- Score mix assistant: Alec Lubin
- Scoring editor: Laura Agudelo Cuartas
- Music preparation: Jill Streater, Jordan Cox, James Regan, Brad Ritchie
- Sessions librarian: Jill Streater
- Score production assistants: David Neville, Andreas Häberlin, Alisse Laymac, Nick Hodges
- Solo violin: Perry Montague-Mason
- Bodhrán: Kieran Leonard
- Bagpipes: Kyle Howie, Ali Hutton, Lorne MacDougall, Craig Muirhead, Craig Munro
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Release history
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References
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