The How to Train Your Dragon franchise from DreamWorks Animation consists of three feature films How to Train Your Dragon (2010), How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019). The franchise is loosely based on the book series of the same name by British author Cressida Cowell. The franchise also consists of four short films: Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon (2011), Book of Dragons (2011), Gift of the Night Fury (2011) and Dawn of the Dragon Racers (2014). A television series following the events of the first film, Dragons: Riders of Berk, began airing on Cartoon Network in September 2012. It was renamed Dragons: Defenders of Berk for second season. Another television series, titled Dragons: Race to the Edge, serves as a prequel to the second film and aired on Netflix from June 2015 to February 2018.[1] The franchise follows the adventures of a young Viking named Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, son of Stoick the Vast, leader of the Viking island of Berk. Although initially dismissed as a clumsy and underweight misfit, he soon becomes renowned as a courageous expert in dragons, beginning with Toothless, a member of the rare Night Fury breed as his flying mount and his closest companion. Together with his friends, he manages the village's allied dragon population in defense of his home as leader of a flying corps of dragon riders. Upon becoming leaders of their kind, Hiccup and Toothless are forced to make choices that will truly ensure peace between people and dragons. Dean DeBlois, the director of the trilogy, described its story as "Hiccup's coming of age," taking a span of five years between the first and second film, and a year between the second and third film. [2] The film series has been highly acclaimed with its first two features being nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, in addition to the first film's nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Score.