DreamWorks’ beloved How to Train Your Dragon made the jump to live-action this weekend. This means fans new and old alike got to see their favorite characters — and dragons — in a whole new light!

But which dragons dominated the screen in live-action? From creature design to special abilities, cute factor vs scare factor and more… Check out our official dragon ranking below to see which of the HTTYD characters made an impression beyond their animated counterparts. 

7. The Deadly Nadder

Is it a hot take to rank Astrid’s dragon so low? Probably. (And are all dragons good dragons? Of course.) But I have to admit, the Deadly Nadder made the least impression on me in the live-action How to Train Your Dragon film. It’s supposed to be the cleverest out of all the dragons, but we don’t get to see much of that here. I do like the blue color and the way the design feels very dinosaur-like though.

6. The Hideous Zippleback

The Hideous Zippleback definitely gives hydra energy, maybe even more so in this live-action version. The two-headed dragon makes for the perfect companion for twins Ruffnut and Tuffnutt — teamwork makes the dream work, and whatnot. That said, while I do like the Hideous Zippleback’s look, I just think this dragon feels more fun in the original animated version.

5. The Terrible Terror

Who doesn’t love a tiny beastie? The Terrible Terror is small in stature and low on screen time, but still manages to make an impact in How to Train Your Dragon. A little guy who can cause big problems is an excellent character trope, after all. Hopefully, we’ll get further adaptations that will give us more of the Terrible Terror getting into mischief.

4. The Gruesome Gronckle

Every species needs a good round boi, and the Gruesome Gronckle surely delivers. This absolute unit of a dragon is so stylistically different from the others, it’s always a delight to see on screen. While its rotund shape and rock-eating habit can make it seem a little less threatening than many of the other dragons, it just makes you happy to see the Gruesome Gronckle pop up.

3. The Red Death

The Red Death is totally unmatched when it comes to pure size and scale. We’re talking Godzilla energy here. Our other dragons are just annoying flies in comparison. Seeing the Red Death next to the other dragons gives it a true threatening edge, and the extra eyes are a neat touch to the species design. However, since the Red Death is SO huge, it’s sort of lumbering and slow in its movements. That’s a little less exciting than the zippy flying-and-fire action of our other dragons.

2. The Monstrous Nightmare

The Red Death may be the official dragon Big Bad, but when you’re talking about the scariest dragon? There’s really no contest — it’s for sure the Monstrous Nightmare. From its long, pointy snout and mouth full of teeth to its horned head and spiked back, everything about this dragon screams “terrifying.” And that’s before it lights its whole body aflame. The Monstrous Nightmare really does look like nightmare fuel; plus, it seems like the dragon most likely to burn you to a crisp. To me, this dragon pops in the live-action version in a way it didn’t in the animated film.

1.

I’ll admit I was tempted to rank the Monstrous Nightmare #1. But at the end of the day, it’s hard to love a dragon more than Toothless. The Night Fury offers up a great balance between friendly and frightening. With mannerisms reminiscent of your pet cat or dog, and his round face and big eyes, Toothless is often adorable. But as a Night Fury, he’s powerful too. Between his special firepower and the fierce way he attacks in How to Train Your Dragon (rescuing Hiccup during the trial! Fighting the Red Death!), you know this dragon means business. Plus, we get to tag along with Toothless for some incredible flying sequences. He’s the star for a reason!

You can catch How to Train Your Dragon in theaters now.

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‘How To Train Your Dragon’ Review – Stunning Visuals, But No Real Additions