John Powell is the credited composer of all four theatrical films in the How to Train Your Dragon series, from How to Train Your Dragon (2010) to How to Train Your Dragon (2025), a run of 15 years.
| Film | Composer | Year |
|---|
| How to Train Your Dragon (2010) | John Powell | 2010 |
| How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) | John Powell | 2014 |
| How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019) | John Powell | 2019 |
| How to Train Your Dragon (2025) | John Powell | 2025 |
The series began with How to Train Your Dragon (2010), directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, and Powell wrote its score. DeBlois then directed How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019), and Powell scored both. When DeBlois made the live action How to Train Your Dragon (2025), TheWrap's making-of coverage reported that Powell was returning for it as well.
Does it matter that one composer stayed for the whole saga? Yes, John Powell is the one constant across all four features alongside director Dean DeBlois, who directed the last three and co-directed the first with Chris Sanders. The animated trilogy and the live action film therefore share the same composer, which is a useful point if you compare the two versions in the live action and animated comparison.
Two shorts sit outside the four features. The 2011 short Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury, a 22 minute special, reached US home video on November 15, 2011 and also credits Powell. The 2019 holiday special How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming, also 22 minutes, aired on NBC on December 3, 2019 and credits Anthony B. Willis as composer. DreamWorks Animation's studio synopsis places that special ten years after The Hidden World, just before the epilogue of the final film. Neither short has a film page, and both appear as context lines in the viewing order guide.
For the voice and on screen cast behind these scores, see the cast and crew guide.
