Live action “How to Train Your Dragon” coming 2025 - John Powell

[Kasey Kockroach 2,549]

To think, he could’ve been available for Jurassic if it weren’t for this.  

 

(Let me dream it was a possibility. Maybe they’ll fire Kersplat again and hire Powell at the last minute)

[WampaRat 1,768]

Interesting. Yeah just little differences here and there. Sounds like the new one has a sliightly more pronounced electronic/synth component? The drums seem a bit more upfront too. But it could just be the crappy compressed sound of that clip.

[Jay 42,355]

I'm not making any judgements until I hear the music via the uncompressed OST album

[Richard P 4,752]

What unbelievably shitty quality to use to compare the two versions... you can tell there are some orchestration changes but it tells us bugger all about the overall recording quality.

 

Playing devil's advocate here, this score looks like it may be largely a re-recording of the previous one, albeit with some new material here and there. Hence I wonder if it might be a case of finding a handful of tracks that really have something different (orchestration or content) to add to Varese's DE, rather than keeping the entire thing. If it all ends up being a new recording of essentially the same music, I'm not sure what value there ultimately is.

 

 

[WampaRat 1,768]

Yes. That's the big fear and the "Hell" Powell describes as being trapped in. Thoughts and prayers!

[tomsmoviemadness 4,234]

On the website linked below you can listen to the full Test Drive track. It's a minute longer than the original version and has some new stuff in it.

 

On the website, go to location "The Village" and then click on the house on the left and something pops up.

 

https://www.welcometoberk.com/#

 

I wasn't able to take the track of the website, but I did manage to get a behind the scenes video.

 

 

[Richard P 4,752]

https://dx35vtwkllhj9.cloudfront.net/universalstudios/how-to-train-your-dragon-intl/images/regions/us/audio/villageSoundtrack.mp3

 

I prefer the original.

[Evanus 411]

Kinda messes with my head hearing the added bits in between 

 

Sounds good though!

[Meredith McKay 7,842]

2 minutes ago, Evanus said:

Kinda messes with my head hearing the added bits in between 

 

Sounds good though!

LOTR EE versions vibes

[Holko 11,342]

yeah... no

[Jay 42,355]

The OST album cover is revealed too:

 

https://backlotmusic.ffm.to/testdrivetoothless

 

And the new track is called "Test Driving Toothless", and drops May 29th.

[Meredith McKay 7,842]

6 minutes ago, Jay said:

The OST album cover is revealed too:

 

https://backlotmusic.ffm.to/testdrivetoothless

[Tom Guernsey 3,217]

1 hour ago, Richard P said:

https://dx35vtwkllhj9.cloudfront.net/universalstudios/how-to-train-your-dragon-intl/images/regions/us/audio/villageSoundtrack.mp3

 

I prefer the original.

I'm sure I'll get used to the insertions but this still doesn't quite sound like proper CD quality so I'll hold judgement for now but the problem is, the original track is perfectly formed and an absolutely barnstorming performance... the brass playing in particular just astonishing, the horns give me chills even after the millionth time I've played it (approx).

[Meredith McKay 7,842]

22 minutes ago, Tom Guernsey said:

I'm sure I'll get used to the insertions but this still doesn't quite sound like proper CD quality so I'll hold judgement for now but the problem is, the original track is perfectly formed and an absolutely barnstorming performance... the brass playing in particular just astonishing, the horns give me chills even after the millionth time I've played it (approx).

It is isn't it?

 

 

JK

22 minutes ago, Tom Guernsey said:

I'm sure I'll get used to the insertions but this still doesn't quite sound like proper CD quality

Apparently it's around 64kb/s, 48000hz according to VLC player.

 

With the obvious extra section snipped out, here is a comparison of the waveforms: 

[Loert 2,942]

5 hours ago, tomsmoviemadness said:

On the website linked below you can listen to the full Test Drive track. It's a minute longer than the original version and has some new stuff in it.

 

On the website, go to location "The Village" and then click on the house on the left and something pops up.

 

https://www.welcometoberk.com/#

 

I wasn't able to take the track of the website, but I did manage to get a behind the scenes video.

 

 

 

"If I've done my job properly, you shouldn't be able to tell the difference from the original"

 

Yeeeaaah good luck with that mate

[Stark 682]

Sounds like more... electronics? Interesting decision that I may like while few others do, haha

[Anthony 819]

I prefer this new recording. The original was done in a way that caused everything to sound too BIG and merge together. I feel like I can pick out individual instrument sections, now.

 

That said, I'm surprised how close to the original sound Powell stayed. I hope there are some more original parts, too. Guess you don't want to mess with the most iconic track too much.

[WampaRat 1,768]

Huh. Yeah, its definitely pretty darn close to the original save for the insert of that choir bit. I believe its motif that first appears when Stoik finds Hiccup after battling the Green Death? Sounds like he's foreshadowing that moment here now.

Ah Mr. Powell, I feel for you, mate. What an impossible task. I'm hoping at the very least for a Joe Hisaishi/Symphonic Suite - type companion to the original score. Im sure there will be a handful of distinct moments that will be worth adding to the original album. But damn. This is the Kobayashi Maru of scoring assignments. 

[Meredith McKay 7,842]

24 minutes ago, WampaRat said:

This is the Kobayashi Maru of scoring assignments. 

So is Powell gonna cheat, and hack the test?

[WampaRat 1,768]

3 minutes ago, Meredith McKay said:

So is Powell gonna cheat, and hack the test?

Haha! He certainly could if anyone! 

[Meredith McKay 7,842]

3 minutes ago, WampaRat said:

Haha! He certainly could if anyone! 

"Alright, so I am just gonna hire someone to possess you and rewrite and shoot the movie to be a wholly original story, is that okay with you Dean?"

[WampaRat 1,768]

[Loert 2,942]

9 hours ago, Anthony said:

The original was done in a way that caused everything to sound too BIG

 

This is exactly why I love the original!

 

Anyway, if nothing else, this live-action score will give us the opportunity to create edits by picking out the best bits from each score.

 

Though personally, I can't see how anything can top the original...

 

 

[Meredith McKay 7,842]

3 minutes ago, Loert said:

 

This is exactly why I love the original!

 

 

There's big, and then there's BIG (Base Imitable Ginormity).....

 

 

 

...or something

[ThePenitentMan1 1,292]

1 hour ago, Meredith McKay said:

"Alright, so I am just gonna hire someone to possess you and rewrite and shoot the movie to be a wholly original story the original plot from the book, is that okay with you Dean?"

 

Fixed.

[Anthony 819]

If anyone is going to still find a way to nail it, it will be Powell.

[tomsmoviemadness 4,234]

Anorher trailer

 

 

 

[WampaRat 1,768]

I don't know why, but it bothers me that they seem to be using a modified version of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" type treatment for the logo. (A very dumb hangup on my part, I acknowledge).

[Jurassic Shark 14,938]

Comic sans would have worked better.

[Meredith McKay 7,842]

37 minutes ago, WampaRat said:

I don't know why, but it bothers me that they seem to be using a modified version of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" type treatment for the logo. (A very dumb hangup on my part, I acknowledge).

Kinda seems to he in the vein of the early logo for the original film:

 

 

[PrayodiBA 864]

Sneak peek of the new movie arrangement for "Astrid Goes For A Spin" track,

hear it below:

 

I like this new rendition. It's still the same of course,

but I love the extra trumpets line and that extra "umphh" at the end. 

 

Compared that with the original:

 

[Anthony 819]

Sounds like 2010 HTTYD passed through the Solo/Hidden World filter. Great!

[Richard P 4,752]

Yes, HW was beautifully recorded - if they can apply the same sonics to the original, there is likely to be some worthwhile material here. I wasn't overly taken by the other sample track we got though - a re-recording is still a re-recording.

 

I can see the hell that Powell found himself in, but I still can't find the anger at its mere existence that others seem to want to draw.

[Tarci4096 71]

On 07/05/2025 at 3:22 PM, PrayodiBA said:

Sneak peek of the new movie arrangement for "Astrid Goes For A Spin" track,

hear it below:

 

I like this new rendition. It's still the same of course,

but I love the extra trumpets line and that extra "umphh" at the end. 

 

Compared that with the original:

 

 

Sounds a bit like the Neverbirds track from PAN.

[PrayodiBA 864]

Mike Knobloch, music president of NBCUniversal just posted an Instagram story of John Powell attending the opening of the brand new Epic Universe theme park in Orlando. It’s cute seeing Powell kinda realizing his HTTYD music has become an ultra-iconic piece of work, now being played over fireworks show. I truly can’t imagine how he feels.

See the story below:

 

Anyway, one interesting thing in the video above, if you hear until the end, there is a whole new extension to the Test Drive music, which I assume also composed by Powell, it sounds amazing!

 

And FYI, Powell also composed the music of Isle Of Berk in Epic Universe park

[Anthony 819]

Did Powell actually write or adapt music for it specifically? Or did somebody else just take his existing work and rearrange it?

 

That new fanfare bit at the end of the video sounds like Williams! Christ! 😍

[Meredith McKay 7,842]

19 minutes ago, Anthony said:

That new fanfare bit at the end of the video sounds like Williams! Christ! 😍

Yeah, it reminded me of British Relief.

[DarthDementous 1,424]

wow yeah that gave me chills, very Williams-y. makes me want another Powell Star Wars score

[Tydirium 1,437]

0:24 reminds me of the finale of Stravinsky’s Firebird!

[Muad'Dib 1,940]

1 hour ago, Tydirium said:

0:24 reminds me of the finale of Stravinsky’s Firebird!

 

Was thinking the same thing!

[Will 2,321]

This sounds amazing! In addition to Firebird and "British Relief," I hear shades of JNH's "Maleficent Flies."

[PrayodiBA 864]

9 hours ago, Anthony said:

Did Powell actually write or adapt music for it specifically? Or did somebody else just take his existing work and rearrange it?

 

That new fanfare bit at the end of the video sounds like Williams! Christ! 😍

 

Likely it is by Powell, as the transition is so smooth.

 

But it could be from other composer,

because if you watch the full show in the video below, you will hear the music plays different themes from different movies; ET, Harry Potter, Mario Bros., etc.

Watch the full HTTYD segment below:

 

^^

I love that when the HTTYD theme strated playing, audiences instantly recognized and cheered

[Anthony 819]

As much as I love it, I don't think that fanfare at the end is Powell. It just doesn't sound like him. But I'll happily be proven wrong.

[Richard P 4,752]

The fanfare merges into the Universal fanfare at the end, so evidently he's not responsible for composing the entire thing.

[Edmilson 10,433]

Yeah, I liked it but I'm not entirely convinced it's from Powell's new HTTYD score. It could be from somewhere else.

 

Anyone tried using Shazam on that bit and see what comes out?

[Meredith McKay 7,842]

28 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

Yeah, I liked it but I'm not entirely convinced it's from Powell's new HTTYD score. It could be from somewhere else.

Yeah, I feel if anything it is for the park.

[Anthony 819]

Can anyone elaborate on that point of "Powell worked on music specifically for the park". What's the evidence?

[Luka 279]

I don’t even know why there is debate on that point. Sounds nothing like Powell to me 😅 And it just makes no sense that he would have worked on that medley, as it comprises many movies other than HTTYD. 
If there was proof that this fanfare is actually by him, I revoke my title of being a huge John Powell fan. 

[PrayodiBA 864]

Of course, the whole music from start to end wasn’t composed by Powell, he’s also too expensive for that 😄

 

The HTTYD only segment though, up to that Firebird-like extension, even though it doesn’t really sound like Powell style, but we have heard numerous occasions where Powell did a direct homage to various classical pieces. That’s why when I first heard it, it could be Powell doing that kind of homage. But yes, it looks like it wasn’t him

 

1 hour ago, Anthony said:

Can anyone elaborate on that point of "Powell worked on music specifically for the park". What's the evidence?

 

Powell did confirm that he composed the background music for Isle of Berk section of the park, I think he confirmed it at this interview:

 

In fact, he scored a roller coaster ride! 😄

https://attractionsmagazine.com/how-train-dragon-isle-berk-universal-epic-universe-interview/

 

 

[Edmilson 10,433]

We can only hope Powell was allowed to write some great new contributions for his HTTYD canon besides just copying and pasting music from the first movie (or even from the other two). If these potential new contributions are as good as this Firebird/British Relief excerpt then I'll be more than happy.