Cate Blanchett will return as Valka in the live-action sequel of ‘How to Train Your Dragon’

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Two-time Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett is officially returning to the skies. According to reports from The Hollywood Reporter, Blanchett has signed on to reprise her role as the formidable Viking warrior Valka in Universal Pictures’ live-action sequel to How to Train Your Dragon. This casting makes her the second major star, following Gerard Butler, to transition from voicing a character in the original animated franchise to portraying them in the live-action adaptations.

The upcoming sequel will see the return of Dean DeBlois, the creative force behind the animated trilogy, who will once again serve as writer, director, and executive producer. DeBlois successfully launched the live-action franchise in June 2025, with the first installment earning a massive $636 million at the global box office. The films continue to draw inspiration from the beloved book series by Cressida Cowell, focusing on the bond between Vikings and their dragon companions.

Blanchett’s character, Valka, is the long-lost mother of the protagonist Hiccup and the wife of Stoick the Vast, played by Gerard Butler. She joins an ensemble cast that includes returning stars Mason Thames as Hiccup and Nico Parker as Astrid, alongside Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James, and Harry Trevaldwyn. Based on the narrative arc of the 2014 animated sequel, the new film will further explore Hiccup’s leadership as he navigates the complexities of peace between humans and dragons.

Produced by Marc Platt and Adam Siegel, the project is currently being overseen by Universal’s senior vice president of production, Lexi Barta. The studio has already locked in a theatrical release date of June 11, 2027. This news follows a busy period for Blanchett, who recently starred in Steven Soderbergh’s thriller Black Bag and appeared in Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother, which took home the prestigious Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.